Herbarium: Medicinal Plants as InformationMain MenuIntroductionStudent ProjectsWorthy Worts: Comprehensive Comparison of the Histories, Structures, and Therapeutic Uses of Plants in the Scrophulariaceae and Asteraceae FamiliesIn 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 ApianaBoth 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 ContextThis 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 LorainThe History, Comparison, and Analysis of Parasitic PlantsOur 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 AlkoraishiCombating Coughs: The Respiratory Remedies across North AmericaBioprospecting 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 BarrallAntiseptics in Nature: An exploratory analysis of Coptis trifolia and Larrea tridentataThe 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-IzaddoustPlant Specimen and their Alias : Exploring the Identity of Plants with Animal in the NameLycium 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 RandallPrecious Polygonaceae: Insight into the Historical Collection and Therapeutic Uses of Polygonum, Eriogonum, and Rumex GeneraThis 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 TabibiBidens pilosa, Crataegus douglasii, and Urtica dioica effects on Cardiovascular SystemBidens 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 SrinivasanA History and Analysis of Antiviral Medicinal PlantsMedicinal 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 MojadidiTabetha Nicole Sancheze93aa456bf1fa2a9aac6c7025b6e934476fc9bbbSaja Zidan8c6e75518e3a22769670a28aed10603345e7e636Liam Izaddoust3dff8aaaf7eb5ff335d69d055a03a71c67ce59deGillian Millerc7cf3824cbbdb9f34cf3ecb5f2fba97904e6d484Madeline Huttieed37d79b143b74ce4a1679ca7e866298243829f6Kate Santoso8984ce8d3e506b5432eac435ad9c764c0b4f2e7fSimran Athwale48f42f59698aecdbea4875ccb493c2ee4fc87b4Theresa Denise Llerad93e0c138cc959dcd12215f164bacda878732f73Lexie Baughman8e25a77aa976a9ae7f3f53b2f31421fb9623fd7eEmma Barrall6d3b9f7a229731a4e981ad708558ce97a3994423Neha Shettya3a6cc6d9c1c75b477ae8cc6996064c5f66f7e53Salma Fawzie0cbc3d703665a7bf086845c5bd8f89cae742c30Julia Tang3b35a59e6bde4dd1523cba084d5b3c40f07bf765Luc Lorainde2c39cfbf034abd100fb226cd0b59b275d83658Alastair Sternsd894b924bb371978267b9b868ef3c3d92c0a0127Tony Ongc238c9ee398b21719363ef42a97c130f2dfbd383Hamza Yusuf Mojadidi9a6364479e06a5d9023a16fae37739e3ced2196dAnna Jovin1322c3d9ab970731a2a5376a43b7e0b48568c62bGrace Randall496fc3be58dbc74294eacf99a668736e074278c1Isabel Nakoud46e81ad443c40ffaa2a2cde4dd2365f823e8a43cMariah_Ghodrat_Three-leaf Goldthread27b9afa8f7290e32b44e9d7be679c16c0575e046Catly Do3ade270a73b6b804ebea6c28142c6a74ba8c2e0bKhang Vocd5c51849b921aef6fcf4a9b188c546ea4981515Dania Alkoraishi670ccb4d23e37d957a057cf55a73aba2a6ee7670Jessica McLaughlinba307299f043f94b58b5c44c6c96c7749ac69d59Moryel Yashar10371b80dc53ee92566a2fccaf1cc9fa6abf3407Balpreet Sonde1b2ff8f727432755fd8e0ee4cdc25b36a5da9f4Alexa Hernandez7d5cc6e0132c0716c5705c86198ac7f32cef7efeChristopher Leung98ab99380db3ab4d8b47a22fcdf8f1aa34d645ebAllison Wang238ea84044521900ce895655130f58c6d710d045Nina Dodddda182094f75579255eb38be7e30462a81f3d0Joanne Kwak035f00d5f05f3c560601b008cd0ae71d45b78461Nicolo Villasisdbccff0b57b484782698998ea9f94f9890232b48Sabrina Huang95135d9ef0c46b16243bd55f6ca3fa9825936cb5Yair Tabibi078fed945287deb72c47d884b791a31f6b31eab5Nicole Cohen77b59277f6b2a55cc085a928224030c702d38cf4Leah Tabibi8157be92ce0bcd1008035166dd8fa23af104a1fbSriha Srinivasan6a9d5a1a3347c92ef2d18502d9dd9c480c918758Cienna Henry Milton267442b093ae31dabe4878cb2035067e12901d73Anaeli Guzmanf70e7e906f4babfe75a06cc23a6c8a385746de88Elizabeth Pham05e44d566f6da2c854378c3924371ba385bcbb60Sean Jamali10632a3d6ddff769f427d90bc38602c862c1cb4dStephanie Bottomleydc6780b4d6b9b68630c7632dc772a90913d40a05Mari Williams784cd1ed101f2f4533366c947629463486c8415aFrieda Anastopulos11ba0713eb388e7d0a47d8b1a50440a5638fd93dRasika Obla945abb18cc766d679f42803536dc22ebe1fafb19Rere Huangd6c58a941332cd93b724ce557b7ff05eff1ea9e9Raymond Ko84a7beaf92e727b1f545d35d622be2144696e3dcLilliane Martin0901a468e043d7ea9dfedad0679d1e81bf4f2f02Chelsea Okoro433df3eac8f2ffcef84c2a50d6f3f846758bb522Fady Tawfikf47ca6140616c8672c6da67dedc132e251f1c751Chien-Ling Liu Zelenyb41fb6e9789888538ccab835b41e1a49b128a7bf
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