Green Dye, Anti-cancer
Family: Convolvulaceae (Dodder) [E-flora]
"Convolvulus arvensis is a PERENNIAL CLIMBER growing to 2 m (6ft 7in).
It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from Jun to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, self.The plant is self-fertile.
USDA hardiness zone : 4-8
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil." [PFAF]
General: "Perennial herb from a widespread and deeply descending rhizome; stems trailing to somewhat twining, 0.2-2.0 m long, often forming carpets." [IFBC-E-flora]
Leaves: "Stem leaves alternate, narrowly egg- to arrowhead-shaped at the base, blunt or sharp-pointed at the tip, 2-6 cm long, glabrous to sparsely hairy, stalked." [IFBC-E-flora]
Habitat & Range: "Mesic to dry disturbed areas and waste places in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; common in S BC, rare northward to Dawson Creek; introduced from Eurasia." [IFBC-E-flora] "...native to Europe and Asia and widely distributed in Egypt." [Elzaawely&Tawata,2012]
Status: Exotic [E-flora]
Hazards
"Toxicity of C. arvensis in mice had been investigated many years ago35. It is mildly toxic to some grazing animals. However, grazing has been used in the past as an attempt to control the weed. The amount of field bindweed that can be safely eaten by sheep, cattle, and goats is not known. It is reported to cause distress in hogs that eat it8." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
Edible Uses
"Traditionally it is used to treat skin ulcers, reducing wounds, inflammation and swelling(13). The whole plant (without roots) is used for abdominal pain and abdominal worms in children. A tea made from flowers is laxative (14) and also used to treat muscular weakness (15). The leaves extract is immunostimulant (16). The plant is also reported to have diuretic effect (17). It was also reported in folk medicine that leaves have been used in asthma (18), jaundice (19) and as antihemorrhagic (20)." [Kaur&Kalia,2012]
The plant contains Saponins, Alkaloids, and Polyphenolic compounds Flavonoids and Tannins. It has stimulant, anti-oxidant, anticancer and laxative effect. [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
"The plant is reported to have [been] used in traditional medicine system from as early as 1730s." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
"The roots, leaves, stems, and fl owers are used in folk medicine. The powdered leaves are used to treat wounds, cuts, and bruises. Juice from the leaves mixed with cow fat is used to treat lung and ear diseases. The root is used a laxative. A decoction of the herb is used to wash wounds and to treat skin ulcers, fungal skin diseases, and scabies. Avicenna used this species to treat asthma, lung disease, chest pains, liver and spleen diseases, and as a choleretic remedy (Khalmatov 1964 )." [Eisenman MPCA]
There are hardly any folk medicinal uses involving this plant. Gypsies, though, use an infusion of the leaves or flowers to expel worms (Vesey-Fitzgerald), and the plant has also been used as a wound dressing (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk). Because it twines, the doctrine of signatures claimed it to be good for the intestines (Prest). Perhaps the plant has been spurned too much, for in recent times a recommendation as a good tonic has been given; an infusion of the stems, half an ounce to a pint of boiling water, to make a tea (A W Hatfield). [????]
| Phytochemicals: | Comments | Quanitities/Source (if any) |
| Alkaloidal Fraction | was 1.93% of dry root. [A:CBF] | |
| Calystegins | Root. [Kaur&Kalia,2012] | |
| The polyhydroxytropane alkaloid (Calystegins) from roots of naturally growing Convolvulus arvensis showed significant inhibitory activity towards β-glucosidase and α-galactosidase. [Kaur&Kalia,2012] | ||
| Calystegine A3 [A:CBF] | - | Root.[A:CBF] No calystegines present in the aerial parts.[A:CBP] |
| Calystegine B1. [A:CBF] | - | Root.[A:CBF] |
| Calystegine B2. [A:CBF] | Major constituent. [A:CBF] | Root.[A:CBF] |
| Calystegine B4. [A:CBF] | - | Root.[A:CBF] |
| Tropane Alkaloids | ||
| pseudotropine [A:CBP] | Major alkaloid.[A:CBP] | Fresh aerial Parts.[A:CBP] |
| tropine [A:CBP] | Trace amounts.[A:CBP] | Fresh aerial Parts.[A:CBP] |
| Pyrollidine Alkaloids | ||
| hygrine | - | Fresh aerial Parts.[A:CBP] |
| cuscohygrine | Polyhydroxy alkaloid.[Kaur&Kalia,2012] | Fresh aerial Parts.[A:CBP]
Roots.[TATCA][Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| alkanes, alkanols, x-amyrin, campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol. [TATCA] | Aerial parts. [TATCA] | |
| Flavonoids | ||
Kaempferol |
... and its 3-O-β-D-glucoside, 7-O-β-D-glucoside, 3-O-α-L-rhamnosyl, 7-O-β-D-glucoside, 3-Orutinoside,7-O-rutinoside, 3-O-α-L-rhamnoside and 3 -O-β-Dgalactorhamnoside. | Root, flowers,aerial parts[28].[Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
Quercetin |
... and its 3 -O-α-Lrhamnoside and 3-O-rutinoside. | Root, flowers,aerial parts[28].[Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| Seed Oil: | 6.7-16.5% [Kaur&Kalia,2012] | |
palmitic 6.6-10.0%, stearic 12.0-19.6%, oleic 21.6-30.0%, linoleic 27.8-41.3%, linolenic 6.0-9.2%, arachidic 3.3-6.4%, behenic acid 2.8-4.3%.[Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
||
| Phenolic Acids | ||
| protocatechuic acid | - | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| caffeic acid | - | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| chlorogenic acid | -Unspecified.probably Aerial Parts.[personal Note] [27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] | |
| gentisic acid | - | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| p-coumaric acid | - | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| p- hydroxybenzoic acid | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] | |
| phydroxyphenylacetic acid | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] | |
| ferulic acid | - | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| vannilic acid | - | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| salicylic acids | - | Aerial Parts.[27] [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| Coumarins | ||
| β methylesculetin | - | Entire plant [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| Esculetin | - | Roots, aerial parts [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| 9Scopoletin-7-o-glucoside) 6-methoxycoumarin7-O-glucoside | Root , Aerial parts [Kaur&Kalia,2012] | |
| (umbelliferone) 7-hydroxycoumarin | Aerial Parts. [Kaur&Kalia,2012] | |
| Various Other Phytochemicals | ||
| α amyrin | Pentacyclic triterpene | Aerial parts [Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| Campesterol | Steroid | Aerial parts.[Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| Stigmasterol | Steroid | Aerial parts.[Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| β sitosterol | Steroid | Aerial parts.[Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
| Convovulin | resin | Root.[Kaur&Kalia,2012] |
General comments and source notes
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"Analysis of Convolvulus arvensis growing as an adventitious weed in California has shown calystegine B2 to be the major constituent of the crude alkaloid fraction, which comprises 1.93% of the dry weight of the roots [39]. Calystegines A3, B1 and B4 are also present, together with some unidentified isomers of the B group." [A:CBP]
"'Stermitz' group has shown that fresh aerial parts of field bindweed (Convolvulus avensis) contain pseudotropine as the major alkaloid, together with trace amounts of tropine and tropinone, as well as the pyrrolidine alkaloids hygrine and cuscohygrine [45]. However, no calystegines were detected in this plant sample, despite GC-MS analysis." [A:CBP]
"Recent experiments have shown that out of fifty-one rhizosphere isolates from C. sepium and C arvensis, 72% were calystegine-catabolizing (Cac+)." [A:CBP]
"Cuscohygrine [2] and calystegines [3] have been reported from roots of C. arvensis, but the only report found on the aerial parts [4] indicated the presence of alkanes, alkanols, x-amyrin, campesterol, stigmasterol, and sitosterol." [TATCA]
"Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, unsaturated sterols/triterpenes, carbohydrates, lactones and proteins/ amino acids (29)." [Kaur&Kalia,2012]
"Phytochemical studies on this plant showed the presence of Saponins (21), Flavonoids and caffeic acid (22), alkaloids (23), lipids (24), and δ-amino levulinic acid. Field bindweed was found to contain the tropane alkaloids tropine, pseudotropine, and tropinine and the pyrollidine alkaloids cuscohygrine (25) and hygrine(26)." [Kaur&Kalia,2012]
Hygrine
"(+)-Hygrine is a key precursor for the synthesis of tropinone, the advanced intermediate in the (bio)-synthesis of the tropane alkaloids." [Gururaja&Waser,2014]
"This weed has stimulatory effect on the immune system6, 34." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
"Aerial parts of C.arvensis is used as laxative, wound healing, anti-spasmodic and ant haemorrhagic, anti-angiogenetic effect3,13,16,28,34. It was also described as a purgative and fever-reducer." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
"Antioxidant Activity of Phenolic Rich Fraction Obtained from Convolvulus arvensis L. Leaves Grown in Egypt15." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
"Pharmacologically water extract (aerial parts) of Convolvulus arvensis is rich in high molecular weight proteoglycan mixture (PGM), and has potent anti-angiogenesis and stimulating effects (immune system). Phytochemical studies on this plant showed the presence of Saponins, steroids, flavonoids and alkaloids, proteins and lipids." [Kaur&Kalia,2012]
"The aqueous and alcoholic extract showed moderate diuretic, tranquilizing, hypoglycermic, antihemorrhagic activity,in addition to antibacterial and antifugal effects. The extracts were found to be safe for liver and kidney functions. They also act to relieve intestinal and uterine pain (33)." [Kaur&Kalia,2012]
"Total alkaloid extracts when administrated to cats and rabbits, gave a hypertensive effect with vasodilation and an increase in the coronary circulatory rate(31)." [Kaur&Kalia,2012]
"All parts of the plant contain alkaloids. The roots contain up to 5 % resins. The resins contain convolvine, jalapine, convolvuline, and caffeic acid. The aboveground parts contain flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol) and caffeic acid. The leaves contain carotene and vitamin C (Khalmatov 1964 ). Plants from a pasture in Colorado (USA) were found to contain the tropane alkaloids tropine, pseudotropine, and tropinone, and the pyrrolidine alkaloids cuscohygrine and hygrine (Todd et al. 1995 )." [Eisenman MPCA]
"The root of field bindweed, and also a resin made from the root, has agents that increase the flow of bile and its discharge from the body. Roots are also urine-inducing, laxative and strongly purgative. The dried root contains 4.9% resin." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
"Cytotoxic activity is also evaluated on different extracts. Chloroform extract showed the highest Cytotoxic effect among the extracts (IC50 = 15 µg/ml) whereas ethyl acetate and hydroalcoholic extracts were less Cytotoxic against Hela cells (IC50 = 25 and 65µg/ml, respectively) 36. One preparation is also available in the market named Vascustatin. It is a water extraction of the leaves of the herb Convolvulus arvensis and is rich in proteoglycan mixture (PGM). In combination with proper nutrition, it enhances the immune system's ability to maintain good health4." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
Anti-cancer
"Tumours secrete substances that block local regulatory control measures and allow for unnaturally fast growth and replication. Many natural and chemical agents have been employed with the aim to halt or block angiogenesis, in an attempt to arrest malignant growth, development and metastasis. One well-known natural substance promoted for its ability to halt tumour growth is shark cartilage. Recently, however, a natural substance from a this weed has been found to inhibit angiogenesis 100 times more effectively than shark cartilage, and it is ubiquitous 34. Extracts of Convolvulus arvensis, ironically known as "the cancer of weeds," hold great promise as a tool in the fight against cancer. The water extract inhibit tumour growth in a dose-dependent fashion when administered orally. At the highest dose tested, 200 mg/kg/day, tumour growth was inhibited by roughly seventy percent. Subcutaneous or intraperitoneal administration at 50 mg/kg/day also inhibited tumor growth by over seventy percent. The extract's acute LD50 in Kun Ming mice was 500 mg/kg/day when injected, indicating that tumour growth inhibition occurred at non-toxic doses. It inhibited angiogenesis in chick embryos, improved lymphocyte survival ex vivo, and enhanced yeast phagocytosis, but did not kill tumour cells in culture26." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
"Cuscohygrine and calystegines have been previously reported from C. arvensis roots. These alkaloids have anti-cancer activity but may also be toxic to the host at high doses." [Arora&Malhotra,2011]
"A purified bindweed extract is used to inhibt the growth of tumour cells, inhibt the growth of blood vessels and enhance immune function. he high molecular weight extract 1-200 μg/egg inhibit angiogenesis in chicken chorioallantoin membranes by 73% and at the dose of 14 mg inhibited tumour growth in mice by 77%(30)." [Kaur&Kalia,2012]
"Seed - best sown in situ as soon as it is ripe, it germinates in the autumn[164]. This species can become a real pest in the garden so it is unwise to encourage it." [PFAF]
"Prefers a lighter basic soil[17] of low to medium fertility[200]. Bindweed is a very deep-rooting plant with a vigorous root system that extends to a considerable distance and is very hard to eradicate from the soil. Even a small piece of the root will grow into a new plant if it is left in the ground. Once established this plant soon becomes a pernicious weed[1, 4]. It is a climbing plant that supports itself by twining around any support it can find and can soon swamp and strangle other plants[4]. The flowers close at night and also during rainy weather[4]. Although visited by numerous insects, the flowers seldom set fertile seed[4]. On sunny days the flowers diffuse a scent of heliotrope[245]. The plant harbours tobacco mosaic virus of the Solanaceae[13] and so should not be grown near potatoes, tomatoes and other members of that family." [PFAF]
field bindweed can regenerate from a depth of 4 feet. [Duryea FNM]
"Some rhizobia can grow in the rhizosphere of non-legume plants and catabolise unusual compounds, known as calystegines, from plants, such as Calystegia sepium and Convolvulus arvensis (both in the Convolvulaceae), and Atropa belladonna (Tepfer et al., 1988)." [Dilworth NFLS]
"...Convolvulus arvensis plants, treated with potassium dichromate or chromium nitrate, had different percents of chromium compounds in leaves, similar to chromium acetate, chromium phosphate, and chromium nitrate. The highest percent of chromium nitrate-type compounds suggests, due to the high solubility of chromium nitrate, that plants with high capability of chromium accumulation can contribute Cr to the food chain as trivalent Cr." [Gupta HMSP]
"Another reason why the nutrient levels in weed plants give little information on the amount of nutrient competition to the crops is that some weed species exploit at least partly different soil depths than the crops. The deep rooting agrestals (e.g. Convolvulus arvensis: some meters) in particular can be useful in transporting nutrients upwards, a process reverting soil leaching. When the weeds rot on the field they will not only add to the humus content of the soil but also return, at least partly, the nutrients (and fertilizer) they had 'stolen' before." [Holzner BEW]
"Though many species were able to tolerate the extremely high Cu levels found in Colmenarejo and Garganta, few species were good accumulators of this metal. The species showing the highest Cu concentrations were... Convolvulus arvensis,...and the species of the Rumex genus." [SoilBio-44]
The most arsenic tolerant species were ..., Convolvulus arvensis (0.1–26 mg As·kg−1DM), Cynodon dactylon (0.2–40 mg As·kg−1DM),... [Lichtfouse ECSW]
Alleleopathic vs Trifolium resupinatum and Trifolium alexandrinum, Triticum aestivum, and Glycine max. [Cheema Alleleopathy]
"Resin glycosides are characteristic constituents of complex resins. They represent unique metabolites in the plant kingdom confined to the Convolvulaceae. Furthermore, they may be considered as the most specific compounds of the convolvulaceous secondary metabolism, since they occur frequently in this family and show a broad distribution. The history of their discovery was influenced mainly by the fact that they show intensive pharmacological effects, especially as drastic purgative remedies. Thus, such convolvulaceous crude drugs were used medicinally since ancient times worldwide. Calystegia sepium (L.) R.Br. (hedge bindweed), Convolvulus arvensis L. (field bindweed, possession vine), both common herbs of the temperate parts of the world, and C. scammonia L. (scammony), a herb of the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, yielded resins applied in Europe and the Near East." [Eckart_Eich]
"Seeds of species from this family [Convolvulaceae] usually contain about 10% fatty oil. By the 1950s its fatty acid composition of several species, e.g., Convolvulus arvensis L.,... was published (Hegnauer 1964 and references therein). In most cases stearic [18:0], oleic [18:1 (n–9)], and linoleic [18:2 (n–6)] acids represented the major components." [Eckart_Eich]
"Annual, perennial herb from caudex or rhizome, generally ± glabrous. Stem: generally trailing to high-climbing, generally twisting, twining. Leaf: generally > 1 cm, generally petioled, generally cordate or hastate. Inflorescence: bracts generally 2, > 1 mm below calyx, not hiding it. Flower: generally showy; corolla generally funnel-shaped, pleated, 5-angled or -lobed; stamens included; ovary chambers 2, septa complete, stigma lobes 2, linear to narrowly spoon-shaped, tips acute. Fruit: spheric, ± inflated. Seed: generally 4.
250 species: generally temperate. (Latin, entwine) Not easily distinguished from Calystegia." [Jepson]
Several members [of Convolvulus genera] such as Convolvulus arvensis posses cytotoxic activity on some tumor cell lines. [Kaur&Kalia,2012]