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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

Hardenbergia violacea

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The Hidden Gem of the California Coast: Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttalii Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii is a flowering plant that lives on the California coast. Its medicinal properties include treating fainting and weakness. Many of the treatments involving Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii have not been assessed by the Food and Drug Administration as they are homeopathic therapies. We compare Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii to Hardenbergia violacea, which belongs to the same family as Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii. We determine the anatomical structures of Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii are adaptations to a moist, sunny, and sometimes windy environment. — By Hamza Yusuf Mojadidi and Sabrina Huang Our specimen of study is Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii. The plant is commonly known as Ocean Bluff Milkvetch and is found on the California coast (Calflora, n.d.). It is a perennial plant that blooms year-round (“Astragalus Nuttallii, Nuttall's Milkvetch,” n.d.). The specimen we studied was collected in Big Sur, California by Anthony Baniaga, who likely pulled the specimen near the ocean and identified it using the Jepson Manual (Baniaga, 2021; Calflora, n.d.). He may have been the specimen’s sole collector because the collection date – November 6, 2021 – was during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to this specimen, we examined a live Hardenbergia violacea plant – a member of the Fabaceae family – in the UCLA Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden. Hamza Yusuf Mojadidi collected five items from this plant on February 4th, 2022 at 12:04 pm. Hardenbergia violacea is native to Australia (“Hardenbergia violacea - (Schneev.) Stearn,” n.d.). Lastly, we studied a specimen in the materia medica. Astragalus menziesii is an alternative name for Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii (Calflora, n.d.). A. Menzies collected the Astragalus menziesii A.Gray specimen in 1867 in California (Menzies, 1867). This is one of the earliest, if not the earliest, image we could find of an Astragalus specimen in the Golden State. We hypothesize that 1867 was one of the earliest years on record of a California-based Astragalus specimen due to the addition of California to the United States and the resulting influx of people into the region.

Hardenbergia violacea and Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii leaves are used in homeopathic treatments aimed at body rejuvenation. Homeopathy is a body of medicine that believes in the efficacy of diluted therapies made from materials which trigger reactions in people who do not have an ailment resembling those in people with an ailment, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2021). For example, therapies containing Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii leaves can alleviate fatigue and fainting (“Astragalus menziesii- astragalus nuttallii leaf liquid,” 2018; “Astragalus menziesii- astragalus nuttallii leaf pellet,” 2020). In 2015, researchers discovered Astragalus roots bolster the immune responses of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – a condition that causes difficulties breathing (Jiang et al., 2015; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Astragalus roots can also treat cancer, anemia, heart disease, colds, and diabetes due to “immunologically active” compounds such as saponins, flavonoids, and astragalosides II and IV (Mount Sinai, n.d.; Hong et al., 2011, 6-7). Meanwhile, the leaves and flowers of Hardenbergia violacea can heal mouth ulcers and chest pain (Koori Bush Tucker Garden, n.d.).

The Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii appears well-adapted to its habitat. There are three features of the plant that demonstrate this. First, Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii flowers are small and round. The flowers' size is likely due to the plant’s preference for smaller pollinators like bees. The flowers are also a combination of purple, dark yellow, and white – all of which are significantly duller than the bright purple of Hardenbergia violacea flowers. We predict the dullness may be an evolutionary response to Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii’s habitat. The California coast could have more animals with a preference for preying on plants compared to Australia. Plants with less conspicuous flowers could avoid being eaten. Second, the plant's offshoots are covered on both sides by leaves. This is known as a compound leaf (“Astragalus Nuttallii, Nuttall's Milkvetch,” n.d.). Each sub-leaf is light green, smooth, and veinless. Smaller and more abundant leaves may allow the plant to maximize energy absorption in an environment with cloud coverage. Lastly, Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii has skinny, supple branches. Strong gusts from the nearby Pacific Ocean introduce create windy conditions. Thin branches enable the plant to sway back and forth as opposed to thicker branches or stems, thus spreading seeds or pollen.
WORKS CITED
American Museum of Natural History. (n.d.) "Leaf Type." Accessed March 11, 2022. https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/curriculum-collections/biodiversity-counts/plant-identification/plant-morphology/leaf-type.
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“Astragalus menziesii- astragalus nuttallii leaf pellet.” 2020. National Library of Medicine DailyMed. Accessed February 22, 2022. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=fc300ba2-70e2-42ac-9f5a-b8a6f6bde4ba&type=display
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CalFlora. (n.d.). “Astragalus nuttallii.” Accessed January 23, 2022. https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=896
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).” Last reviewed February 22, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/copd/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcopd%2Findex.htm.
“Hardenbergia violacea - (Schneev.)Stearn.” (n.d.). Plants for a Future. Accessed February 22, 2022. https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Hardenbergia+violacea.
Hong, F., Xiao, W., Ragupathi, G., Lau, C. B., Leung, P. C., Yeung, K. S., George, C., Cassileth, B., Kennelly, E., & Livingston, P. O. (2011). The known immunologically active components of Astragalus account for only a small proportion of the immunological adjuvant activity when combined with conjugate vaccines. Planta medica, 77(8), 817–824. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0030-1250574
Jiang, D. et al. (2015). Milkvetch root improves immune function in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD. Bio-medical materials and engineering, 26(s1), S2113-S2121.
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Menzies, A. (collector). 1867. “Astragalus menziesii.” The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, K000061842.
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National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2021). Homeopathy: What You Need To Know. Accessed February 22, 2022. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/homeopathy.