Planta Med 2006; 72(13): 1254-1256
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-947226
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

An Approach to the Inheritance of the Sesquiterpene Chemotypes within Petasites hybridus

Remigius Chizzola1 , Theodor Langer1 , Chlodwig Franz1
  • 1Institute for Applied Botany and Pharmacognosy, Department of Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
Further Information

Publication History

Received: April 6, 2006

Accepted: July 13, 2006

Publication Date:
18 September 2006 (online)

Abstract

Sesquiterpene esters are the active principle in the medicinal plant Petasites hybridus. Two chemotypes, the petasin chemotype and the furanopetasin chemotype, are known, but only the first one is suitable for pharmaceutical purposes. Experimental crossings were performed within and between plants of both chemotypes to study the genetic basis of the occurrence of these sesquiterpenes. The chemotype was determined by TLC in extracts of a small piece of rhizome in the parent plants and the progenies. A model including the combined action of two genes is proposed to explain the inheritance of the chemotypes where the furanopetasin chemotype is under recessive genetic control.

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Dr. Remigius Chizzola

Institute for Applied Botany and Pharmacognosy

Department of Veterinary Public Health

University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria

Veterinaerplatz 1

1210 Vienna

Austria

Phone: +43-1-25077-3104

Fax: +43-1-25077-3190

Email: Remigius.Chizzola@vu-wien.ac.at