One of the Brazilian arnicas, Solidago chilensis Meyen, is a species of the family Asteraceae. This plant is known by this common name because it shares very similar organoleptic properties with the genus Arnica L., also within the family Asteraceae, that comprises approximately 30 European species of perennial, herbaceous plants. The effectiveness of a fluid extract of S. chilensis used externally for treating lumbago was examined in placebo-controlled double-blind clinical pharmacological studies. Two daily skin applications of a gel containing a 5% extract in glycol were administered for 15 days to ten volunteers in a placebo group and to an equal number in a test group. Statistical analyses of the results demonstrated a significant reduction in the perception of pain and a significant increase in the flexibility of patients in the test group as compared with those receiving only the placebo.

RESUMO: "Conhecimento local em horta medicinal numa comunidade rural adjacente à Floresta Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil". O presente estudo objetivou identificar as plantas medicinais cultivadas em uma horta medicinal, situada no município de Casimiro de Abreu, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, e diagnosticar o acesso à sua utilização e importância para a população local, baseando-se em entrevistas com o administrador da horta, e quarenta usuários da comunidade. O índice de importância relativa (IR) foi calculado para 96 espécies medicinais e, neste, observou-se que 27 espécies tiveram um RI≥1,00, com Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. e Leonurus sibiricus L. (ervamacaé), atingindo o valor máximo (2,00). As entrevistas revelaram que a maioria dos usuários, residentes nas áreas rurais do município em que a horta está localizada, visitam-na com uma frequência semanal, depositando confiança no reconhecimento da planta e recomendações de uso do administrador, e sabem, em sua maioria, como preparar os remédios utilizados. As espécies que tratam afecções relacionadas ao sistema respiratório são as mais procuradas. O uso livre da horta pela comunidade local, associado com o pequeno investimento inicial, demonstra a viabilidade da iniciativa pública e do valor do conhecimento tradicional, mas também chama a atenção das autoridades para o uso humano de forma segura. Unitermos: Horta de plantas medicinais, plantas medicinais, conhecimento local, comunidades rurais; etnobotânica. ABSTRACT:The present study sought to identify the medicinal plants cultivated in a communal medicinal plant garden in Casimiro de Abreu, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, and to access its utilization and importance to the local population based on interviews with the garden's administrator and forty rural users. The Relative Importance Index (RI) was calculated for 96 medicinal species. Twentyseven species had a RI ≥1.00, with Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. and Leonurus sibiricus L. (erva-macaé), having the largest value (2.00). Interviews revealed that the majority of the rural users live in the municipality where the garden is located, visit it on a weekly basis, trust the recommendations of the administrator, and know how to prepare the remedies used. Plants that treat illnesses related to the respiratory system are most sought after. The free use of the garden by the local community, associated with the small initial investment, demonstrates the viability of this public initiative and the value of traditional knowledge, but also calls the authorities attention for their safe human use.

In Brazil, the National Policy on Medicinal Plants has stimulated the use of plants in primary health care, validating the traditional medicine and pointing to the lack of a consistent set of evidence that supports their uses and indications by ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology. This paper aims to make a systematic review of the scientific literature to gather evidence on indications and safety of use of extracts of <i>Solidago chilensis</i>. The bibliographic research was carried out using terms derivate from the title, and all the published papers were downloaded, covering at least the last five years, and it was focused on preclinical and clinical studies with extracts of <i>S. chilensis</i> in the databases of Web of Science, BIREME, SciELO, PubMed, Scirus and Highwire. Phytochemical analysis carried out on many studies showed that among the chemical constituents of <i>S. chilensis</i> are sesqui- and diterpenes, flavonoids and other substances, and the diterpene solidagenone was identified as a marker of the extract that has demonstrated gastroprotective activity in different experimental models of ulcer induced in animals without signs of toxicity at doses above 600 mg/kg. Another studies show that the anti-inflammatory effect in rats has been given by inhibiting the exudation of leukocytes, especially neutrophils, as well as through inhibition of myeloperoxidase, adenosine deaminase, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), decreased induction of nitric oxide synthesis and levels of interleukin-1β. Studies show that solidagenone at a concentration of 100 mg/kg showed activity similar to lansoprazole (20 mg/kg), the effect occurs without changes in the gastric mucosa or on acid secretion. The aqueous and alcoholic extracts showed anti-inflammatory activity and may act in a satisfactory way in cases involving the inflammatory response, such as injuries due to trauma, repetitive stress, pain, and healing. The inhibition of anti-inflammatory response is on the base of all these described effects. In spite of the fact that <i>S. chilensis</i> has been used since ancient times in Brazilian traditional medicine, and the existence of preclinical pharmacological end toxicological evidence for its efficacy as an inhibitor of anti-inflammatory response, we could find only a single clinical trial study carried out in treating lumbago. In this lack of clinical pharmacology and toxicology evidence for its uses, its safety and therapeutic indications are guaranteed, up to this moment, by traditional knowledge

a b s t r a c tIn hybrid cultivated form, Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitam., Asteraceae, flowers (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) were utilized in the production of extracts, which were analyzed for larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti third instar larvae. Methanol and dichloromethane extracts showed LC 50 values of 5.02 and 5.93 ppm, respectively. Using GC-MS, phytochemical analyses of the dichloromethane extract showed the presence of triterpenoids and fatty acids, while flavonoids and caffeoylquinic acids were shown to occur in the methanol extract by ESI Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (ESI-FT-ICR-MS). Triterpenoids and fatty acids are well known insecticidal compounds. From this study, it can be concluded that D. grandiflorum grown for floriculture, as an agribusiness, can have additional applications as raw material for the production of insecticidal products.