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Herbarium: Medicinal Plants as Information Worthy Worts: Comprehensive Comparison of the Histories, Structures, and Therapeutic Uses of Plants in the Scrophulariaceae and Asteraceae Families In order to better understand the “worts'” categorization, an analysis of the plants within the Scrophulariaceae family (Scrophularia californica, Scrophularia scorodonia, and Galvezia juncea) and two plants within the Asteraceae family (Artemisia douglasiana and Artemisia campestris) was conducted. Through research thus far, it was found that these aforementioned plants share structural similarities in terms of aspects that include venation of the leaves. The most prominent common denominator of the wort category is that they all have therapeutic uses. Among the historical therapeutic uses found in the literature are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and antioxidant uses. These benefits have been utilized from societies ranging from the American Indians to the Europeans. -By Chris Leung, Catly Do, Fady Tawfik, and Sean Jamali. Exploring the Sages: Medicinal Properties and Appearances of Artemisia Californica and Salvia Apiana Both plants Artemisia Californica and Salvia apiana under the category of sages play important roles in maintaining the growth of their local ecosystems with similar habitats, medicinal properties, and flowering appearances during the times of collection. However, they also share important differences in their flowering and growth patterns as well as the active agents used for their medicinal properties. In analyzing the similarities and differences between these two plants regarding appearances, climate, medicinal properties, and growth patterns, the similarities in how they are able to provide and support their local ecosystems is the big picture idea that can be understood. - By Stephanie Bottomley, Rasika Obla, Tony Ong, and Balpreet Sond. Tea Time: Exploring the Medicinal Properties of Bark-Use Plants from a Traditional Ecological Knowledge Context This page discusses three different plants that contain significant medicinal properties in their bark and have been historically used by indigenous communities throughout North America: Populus tremuloides, Frangula californica subsp. californica, and Amelanchier alnifolia. These species will be compared on a global scale by examining the bark-based applications of two related species from Africa and East Asia: Dovyalis caffra and Rhaphiolepis umbellata. Despite their phenotypic differences and the differences in their medicinal properties, all five of these plants have been used to help relieve symptoms of communicable and chronic diseases through the direct digestion of tea like remedies made from the boiled bark of these plants. -By Saja Zidan, Maha Ulhaq, Kate Santoso, Gillian, Miller, Anna Jovin, and Luc Lorain The History, Comparison, and Analysis of Parasitic Plants Our project presents the process of collecting and researching the special characteristics of parasitic plants. We explore each plant's respective medical practices and compare them to epiphytic plants that are similar to our original plants of interest. In each project, we individually explain how the plants were collected, identified, translated, and classified. The contextual reasons behind this process are also presented and connected to the general unique characteristics of parasitic plants. Each page provides a collection of media images that visually represent the main plant of interest, the epiphytic plant, the historical materia medica image, and the individual journal observations that we made of our respective plants. We offer comparative analysis and highlight important parts of each specimen throughout these photos. - By Khang Vo, Jessica McLaughlin, Alastair Sterns, and Dania Alkoraishi Combating Coughs: The Respiratory Remedies across North America Bioprospecting and the application of materia medica have played central roles in the remedy of physical ailments in humans throughout history. From ancient cultures utilizing extracts from leaves and roots to modern medicinal practices extracting medicinal properties from plants to put into pills and other therapies, materia medica has and remains a relevant and growing practice. Here, we examine various plants from North America and their varied characteristics, though they share similar medicinal properties.- By Raymond Ko, Mari Williams, Elizabeth Pham, Julia Tang, Cienna Henry Milton, and Emma Barrall Antiseptics in Nature: An exploratory analysis of Coptis trifolia and Larrea tridentata The following research studies common properties of plants used as potential antiseptic medicinal use. Explained more in depth later on, the first page introduces the plant Coptis trifolia, and its common characteristics with a similar plant, Thalictrum fendleri. The second page studies Larrea Tridentata found at the UCLA Herbarium and its living species at the UCLA Botanical Garden. The pages also examine other species found at the UCLA Botanical Garden, with references of possible characteristics which may allude to the specificity and uniqueness of the plants and objects. These three species studied share a common use as an antiseptic. - By Neha Shetty, Simran Athwal, Mariah Ghodrat, Madeline Huttie, and Liam Kordmahale-Izaddoust Plant Specimen and their Alias : Exploring the Identity of Plants with Animal in the Name Lycium torreyi and Equisetum laevigatum, both plant species with an animal in their name, were explored for their characteristics and relationship to their respective animals. Through extensive research, we deduce several similarities and differences between our plants that led us to an understanding of why each plant earned their colloquial name, or alias. Lycium torreyi and Equisetum laevigatum, alias Wolfberry and Smooth Horsetail, respectively, have several commonalities and differences to their corresponding animal including physical and character traits as well as their medicinal qualities. Images, observations and outside research portray the many queries and answers to their common name. By Frieda Anastopulos, Alexa Hernandez, Denise Llera, Chelsea Okoro, Grace Randall Precious Polygonaceae: Insight into the Historical Collection and Therapeutic Uses of Polygonum, Eriogonum, and Rumex Genera This comparative analysis took to exploring six species under the Polygonaceae plant family, half of which are housed in the UCLA Herbarium and half of which are located in the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA. Although they shared a meaningful commonality, these plants fell under a total of three genuses, which seems to explain their differences in morphology - as observed in the physical herbarium specimen sheets and the botanical garden visit - and utility, as unveiled by various Materia Medica entries. However, with an understanding of both historical and modern collection processes, this analysis also postulated that such differences could relate to how these plants were collected and their associated metadata. - By Moryel Yashar, Lexie Baughman, Nicole Cohen, Yair Tabibi, Tabetha Sanchez, and Leah Tabibi Bidens pilosa, Crataegus douglasii, and Urtica dioica effects on Cardiovascular System Bidens pilosa, Crataegus douglasii, and Urtica dioica are medicinal plants that have been found to contain a myriad of bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, antioxidants, and polyphenol compounds. These compounds are known to have significant effects on the cardiovascular system by primarily targeting systolic hypertension. Plant extracts and their derivatives ameliorate oxidative stress, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension associated with cardiovascular disease. This association is due to the characteristics of anti-inflammatory, vasorelaxant, and antiviral activity within the specimen. These medicinal outcomes are elicited to prevent the onset of cardiovascular diseases risk factors. Overall, Bidens pilosa, Crataegus douglasii, and Urtica dioica play a crucial role in cardioprotective effects and health benefits. - By Salma Fawzi, Anaeli Guzman, Rere Huang, Lilliane Martin, Isabel Nakoud, and Sriha Srinivasan A History and Analysis of Antiviral Medicinal Plants Medicinal plants vary wildly among cultures around the world, and proper identification, collections, and bioprospecting of these plants expand upon modern medicine and provide new possibilities of drugs. Exploration of historical materia medica, preserved herbarium specimens, and observation of plants both in adaptations and chosen environment allow for the discovery of new medical leads. Three plants in particular, Eclipta prostrata, Astragalus nuttallii var. Nuttallii, and Sambucus canadensis, have historically been documented and used in medicine for their antiviral properties. Through the process of observation as well as investigation of historic cultural uses, much can be learned about these medicinal plants that carry these critical properties. - By Allison Wang, Joanne Kwak, Nina Do, Nicolo Villasis, Sabrina Huang, and Hamza Mojadidi

The Smelly, Antiseptic Wonder: A look at the history, form and medicinal properties of Larrea tridentata

Larrea tridentata holds the unique status of being one of the world’s oldest, longest-living organisms. Beyond this natural history, however, lays L. tridentata's rich history as a key ingredient in medical practice. The following work is an examination of L. tridentata, describing the plant’s physical attributes and covering the desert bush’s past and potential future medicinal use as an antiseptic. The following study of L. tridentata is derived from analysis of an L. tridentata specimen sample from the UCLA Herbarium, research in the Materia Medica, and observation of a living closely related plant, Larrea nitida. This more comprehensive study has enabled us to paint a fuller picture of the plant Larrea tridentata. - By Madeline Huttie and Liam Kordmahale-Izaddoust

Larrea tridentata a plant of many names, commonly known as a creosote bush (named for the plant’s smell being reminiscent of creosote tar) in addition to the multiple local and cultural names the plant is referred to by, chaparral, gobernadora, and hediondilla. The breadth of these names can in part be attributed to the significance of the bush in its usage in long-practiced medicinal treatments. While the current scientific name of the plant is Larrea tridentata, this nomenclature has changed over time, the bush having been previously classified as Larrea mexicana, the species name referring to a notable region to which the bush is native. Larrea tridentata current species denotation, "tridentata", references the plant's three-toothed leaves. The plant’s retained genius, “Larrea”, is named after bishop Juan Antonio Hernández Pérez de Larrea, a patron of the sciences and botanist. Species with the same genus vary in characteristic differences, ranging from leaf shape and fruit production (Larrea cuneifolia meaning wedge-shaped leaves) to petal shine (Larrea nitida). Further exploring the taxonomical registrar of Larrea tridentata, the flowering plant belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family and Larreoideae subfamily.

Our annotations of the Larrea tridentata sample from the UCLA Herbarium specimen sheet, focus on the physical attributes observed from the bush branch sample–many of these notes centering on the flowering plant's life cycle. Our observations of L. tridentata were supplemented by our observation of a living specimen Larrea nitida, in the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, as well as early illustrations of L. tridentata, then L. mexicana, in the Materia Medica. Given the L. tridentata sample specimen, collected by E. Armstrong, March 18, 1934, in the Mojave Desert, Kern County, consisted of two dried segments of detached dried branches, consultation of both imagery from the Materia Medica and a closely related living specimen was paramount to our examination of L. tridentata. The most notable case of this was the conclusion that the dense foliage observed on the L. Tridentata specimen sample likely functioned in part to advantage the bush’s water retention in its native desert climate, with little precipitation, a connection only brought to our attention when observing the shallow root system of L. nitida.While the species is named for a physical attribute, it is the plant’s chemical characteristics which endow Larrea tridentata its significance, both as a long surviving species, and within the plant’s medicinal properties. Larrea tridentata, widely known for its resilience in a harsh desert environment, produces a wide range of chemical compounds which function to protect the plant from damage insects and pathogenic fungi would otherwise inflict, and ward off herbivores that may pose threat. Larrea tridentata’s chemical constitution lignans, a protein compound, and flavonoids, both of which give the bush antibacterial properties. It is because of the L. tridentata’s active antibacterial properties, that the leaves and twigs from Larrea tridentata have traditionally been made into tea, powder, poultice, functioning primarily as an antiseptic to destroy germs, and as an emetic to clear the stomach of harmful substances/toxins. Research indicates that boiling the bush’s leaves into tea treated diarrhea, stomach pain, and served as an mucoactive agent, while topical application would treat chest complaints and skin conditions, including wounds and sores. Larrea tridentata was also used to treat toothaches, with the sap from the plant’s shoot tips being dripped into cavities. Larrea tridentata is also widely used in treatments for rheumatism, venereal infections, urinary infections, and even cancers, specifically leukemia.

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The following research studies common properties of plants used as potential antiseptic medicinal use. Explained more in depth later on, the first page introduces the plant Coptis trifolia, and its common characteristics with the scientific plant name, Thalictrum fendleri. The second page studies Larrea Tridentata found at the UCLA Herbarium and its living species at the UCLA Botanical Garden. The pages also examine other species found at the UCLA Botanical Garden, with references of possible characteristics which may allude to the specificity and uniqueness of the plants and objects. These three species studied share a common use as an antiseptic. - By Neha Shetty, Simran Athwal, Mariah Ghodrat, Madeline Huttie, and Liam Kordmahale-Izaddoust
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1. Three Leaf Goldthread The following page discusses the antiseptic medicinal properties of two plants: Coptis trifolia, our historical Materia Medica studied in the UCLA Herbarium, and Thalcitrum fendleri, found in the UCLA Botanical Gardens. This page highlights the physical similarities of the two plants such as size and appearance as well as similarities in their medicinal uses. Coptis trifolia has been used previously to eradicate disease-causing microbial organisms. Thalictrum fendleri was used by the Native Americans to treat cold sores, colds, and gonorrhea, among other health diseases. These two plants are explored through multiple lenses and analyzed from various sources in order to note some significant correlations between them. - By Neha Shetty, Simran Athwal, and Mariah Ghodrat
2. The Smelly, Antiseptic Wonder: A look at the history, form and medicinal properties of Larrea tridentata Larrea tridentata holds the unique status of being one of the world’s oldest, longest-living organisms. Beyond this natural history, however, lays L. tridentata's rich history as a key ingredient in medical practice. The following work is an examination of L. tridentata, describing the plant’s physical attributes and covering the desert bush’s past and potential future medicinal use as an antiseptic. The following study of L. tridentata is derived from analysis of an L. tridentata specimen sample from the UCLA Herbarium, research in the Materia Medica, and observation of a living closely related plant, Larrea nitida. This more comprehensive study has enabled us to paint a fuller picture of the plant Larrea tridentata. - By Madeline Huttie and Liam Kordmahale-Izaddoust

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