Baccharis dracunculifolia

Other Names

alecrimalecrim-bassouraalecrim-de-vassouraalecrim-do-campoalecrim-do-matoBaccharis axilliflora Steud. ex Malag.Baccharis bracteata Hook. & Arn.Baccharis dracunculifolia DC.Baccharis dracunculifolia f. dracunculifoliaBaccharis dracunculifolia f. spectabilis HeeringBaccharis dracunculifolia f. subviscosa KuntzeBaccharis dracunculifolia subsp. dracunculifoliaBaccharis dracunculifolia subsp. tandilensis (Speg.) GiulianoBaccharis dracunculifolia var. dracunculifoliaBaccharis dracunculifolia var. integerrima KuntzeBaccharis leptospermoides DC.Baccharis paucidentata Sch.Bip.Baccharis paucidentata Sch.Bip. ex BakerBaccharis pulverulenta KlattBaccharis tandilensis Speg.bassoura-brancacarquejacilcaConyza linearifolia Spreng.erva-de-São-João-Mariavassouravassourãovassoureiravassourinha

Synopsis

Botanical Identity

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

Baccharis dracunculifolia DC. is a dioecious shrub native to South America and the main botanical source of green propolis, an important commercial and medicinal product produced by Apis mellifera L. The genus Baccharis is an important plant genus in the Asteraceae family, which comprises approximately 440 species distributed broadly across South, Central, and North America, with species diversity especially among the South and West coasts of South America. The species epithet was assigned by the Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. It belongs to tribe Astereae and subtribe Baccharidinae within the family Asteraceae (Compositae).

Common Names

In Brazil, it is popularly known as vassourinha or alecrim do campo; it is a source of a natural resinous substance produced by bees (Apis mellifera), called green propolis. It is also referred to as alecrim de vassoura, and is spread across the southern regions of Brazil, but is also found in countries like Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia.

Plant Morphology

The plant is a perennial woody shrub reaching 2–3 metres in height, dioecious, with flowers aggregated into inflorescences (capitulum) and fruits consisting of glabrous achenes with 1.5 mm in length. It is present in different types of vegetation, occurring both in fields of the plateau and in coastal sandbanks. Currently, its greatest occurrence is in anthropic areas — capoeiras, edges of forests and paths, clearings, and margins of swamps, making it one of the most characteristic Brazilian Baccharis as anthropic pioneers. Its phytogeographic domains are the Atlantic Forest, the Cerrado, and the Pampas.

Geographic Distribution

B. dracunculifolia is distributed in South America: Argentina (Northeast and Northwest), Bolivia, Brazil (South, Southeast, and West-Central), Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. Some Baccharis plants have become naturalised or invasive in parts of Australia and Europe.

Common Preparations and Dosage Forms

Teas, decoctions and tinctures prepared from the flowering plant are widely used in alternative medicine. Phytochemical studies of the essential oil, extracts and green propolis have been conducted from the aerial parts and roots of B. dracunculifolia. The essential oil present in the leaves and flowers is colorless with a characteristic odor of honey, being highly valued in the perfumery industry. The plant material is used directly or as the resinous botanical source from which honeybees (Apis mellifera) harvest resins to produce Brazilian green propolis, which is itself commercially distributed as a liquid extract, capsules, lozenges, and topical preparations.

Traditional and Historical Use

Folk Traditions of Brazil

Baccharis dracunculifolia (Compositae) is indigenous to Brazil, where it is familiar to local people as alecrim-do-campo. In traditional medicine, it is extensively utilized in the treatment of various inflammatory conditions, hepatic ailments, and gastric ulcers. In Brazilian traditional medicine, it is used for the treatment of physical tiredness, fever, hepatic alterations, gastric disorders, and infections of the digestive system.

Regional Folk Preparations and Broader Uses

In folk medicine, it is used as a sedative, hypotensive, bronchodilator, for cardiovascular disorders, anti-flu treatment, and also in skin wounds. It is considered the main source of green propolis, which increases the pharmacological interest in this species. It is used in traditional medicine for treating conditions such as dyspepsia, fatigue, inflammation, mild fever, and high blood pressure.

Wider South American Ethnomedicinal Context

In traditional communities in Latin America, mainly in Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia, species of Baccharis are used as food, fodder for livestock, tools, and dyeing plants. The ethnobotanical knowledge surrounding the genus Baccharis is directly related to their medicinal use. For example, in South American folk medicine, several species of Baccharis are used to treat malaria and parasitic infections.

Green Propolis in Traditional Medicine

B. dracunculifolia DC. (Asteraceae), a native plant from Brazil, is widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation, hepatic disorders, and stomach ulcers. Its role as the botanical source for green propolis further shaped its traditional significance: B. dracunculifolia is well known as the Apis mellifera main bee pasture to produce Brazilian green propolis, a product with numerous beneficial properties for human health.

Key Constituents and Active Compounds

Overview of Chemical Classes

The chemical composition of propolis varies based on many factors, including the botanical source(s) from which the bees harvested resins, the gender of the individual plants, geography, and seasonality. Studies on the phytochemistry of Baccharis spp. (including B. dracunculifolia) have revealed phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids) and terpenoids (mono-, sesqui-, di-, and triterpenoids) as the main specialised metabolites.

Phenolic Compounds

Using high precision analytical tools, numerous compounds have been isolated and identified from leaves and flowers, including the flavonoids: naringenin, acacetin, dihydrokaempferol, isosakuranetin, and kaempferide; phenolic acids: p-coumaric, dihydrocoumaric, ferulic, (E)-cinnamic, hydroxycinnamic, gallic, caffeic, and several caffeoylquinic acid derivatives; prenylated phenolic acids: artepillin C, baccharin, and drupanin; the glycosides dracuculifosides; and the pentacyclic triterpenoids: Baccharis oxide and friedelanol.

The most common phenolic acids occur in prenylated form, highlighting drupanin, artepillin C, baccharin, and baccharin-5″-aldehyde.

Artepillin C — The Marker Compound

Artepillin C (ARC) is a prenylated derivative of p-coumaric acid and one of the major phenolic compounds found in Brazilian green propolis (BGP) and its botanical source Baccharis dracunculifolia. Numerous studies on ARC show that its beneficial health effects correlate with the health effects of both BGP and B. dracunculifolia. Its wide range of pharmacological benefits include antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, gastroprotective, immunomodulatory, and anti-cancer effects. Most studies have focused on anti-oxidation, inflammation, diabetic, and cancers using both in vitro and in vivo approaches.

Essential Oil Composition

The predominant class in the essential oil of leaves and flowers are terpenoids comprising oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, highlighting the compounds nerolidol, spathulenol, germacrene D, and bicyclogermacrene. The most abundant essential oil compounds are oxygenated sesquiterpenes (45.7%), followed by hydrocarbonate sesquiterpenes (33.2%), and monoterpenes (16.5%), with the main constituent being germacrene D (18.4%).

Trans-nerolidol, as the major compound of the essential oil, is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is used as a flavoring agent in the food industry.

Propolis-Specific Constituents

Its components include diterpenes, lignans, prenylated derivatives of p-coumaric acid, acetophenone, and flavonoids. Brazilian green propolis also contains artepillin C in large amounts as compared to caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). Propolis from tropical zones also contains sesquiterpenoids including germacren-D, ledol, and spatulenol.

Mechanisms of Action

Antioxidant Mechanisms

ARC has been investigated mostly with in vitro models and reported to have antioxidant effects. Since 1994 when it was first studied, ARC has displayed antioxidant effects in different in vitro methods such as DPPH radical scavenging. The flavonoids, prenylated phenolic acids, and terpenoid compounds of B. dracunculifolia collectively contribute to radical scavenging capacity.

Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms

Plant extracts containing antioxidant compounds such as flavonoids and other phenolic compounds may be of prime interest in downregulating inflammatory conditions. Research has focused on modulation of oxidative stress markers including glutathione content, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and alkaline phosphatase activities as downstream measures of anti-inflammatory action in experimental models. Treatment with B. dracunculifolia extract has been shown to reverse mechanically induced hyperalgesia and partly improve depressive-like behavior in animal models, concomitant to a decrease in M1 microglia.

Anticancer Mechanisms

Mechanisms underlying anti-cancer properties of ARC are apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and the inhibition of p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), a protein characterized in many human diseases and disorders. Artepillin C exerts direct antiproliferative, cytotoxic, and apoptotic effects on gastric, colon, or lung cancer cells and inhibits the growth of transplanted solid human or mouse tumours in athymic and thymic mice, respectively.

Antimicrobial Mechanisms

Terpenoid compounds are the components most related to essential oil bacteriostatic and/or bactericidal activity. The prenylated phenolic acids — particularly artepillin C, baccharin, and drupanin — have been associated with membrane disruption in microorganisms. These compounds give the species high antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumor, analgesic, immunomodulatory, and antiparasitic potential, making this species a promising herbal medicine.

Gastroprotective Mechanisms

The gastroprotective effect of B. dracunculifolia may be attributed, at least in part, to cinnamic acid derivatives and flavonoids present in the extract, because these compounds have been reported to display anti-ulcer activities. In ligated pylorus models, the extract has been shown to reduce gastric juice volume and total acidity while increasing gastric pH.

Neuroprotective Mechanisms

Artepillin C can penetrate the blood–brain barrier, demonstrating neuroprotective effects. Research in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease has extended the neuroprotective hypothesis by evaluating hippocampal inflammation and behavioral comorbidities associated with gut inflammation.

Scientific Evidence by Area of Use

Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activity

Research carried out with B. dracunculifolia indicates biological activities including anti-inflammatory (Santos et al., 2010; Brandenburg et al., 2020; França et al., 2022). These studies are predominantly preclinical (in vitro cell-based and rodent models). In the TNBS-induced colitis rat model, the preventive effect exerted by an ethyl acetate extract of B. dracunculifolia in ameliorating the colonic insult was demonstrated. The preventive intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of this plant extract (5 and 50 mg kg⁻¹) was evidenced macroscopically by reducing the damage score of the lesions in the acute phase of the TNBS-induced inflammatory process.

Regarding topical anti-inflammatory activity, the topical anti-inflammatory properties of B. dracunculifolia root extract (BdR) and its major compound baccharis oxide (BOx) have been evaluated on mice ear edema models. B. dracunculifolia is popularly used to treat skin diseases. BdR and BOx (both at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/ear) significantly reduced croton oil-, histamine-, and phenol-induced ear edema, while only BOx was effective in reducing capsaicin-induced edema. All anti-inflammatory evidence for B. dracunculifolia itself remains at the preclinical level; no human clinical trials on anti-inflammatory endpoints have been published.

Gastroprotective and Antiulcer Activity

The plant is the most important botanical source of Southeastern Brazilian propolis, known as green propolis. In a previous study, the gastric protective effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of Brazilian green propolis was described. This led to investigation of the possibility of using B. dracunculifolia extract for antiulcer treatment, evaluating the anti-ulcerogenic property of hydroalcoholic extract of its aerial parts.

Doses of 50, 250, and 500 mg/kg of B. dracunculifolia crude extract and positive controls (omeprazole or cimetidine) significantly diminished the lesion index, the total lesion area, and the percentage of lesion compared with negative control groups. The percentage of ulcer inhibition was significantly higher in groups treated with B. dracunculifolia, cimetidine, or omeprazole with all protocols used. Regarding the model of gastric secretion, reductions in the volume of gastric juice and total acidity were observed, as well as an increase in the gastric pH.

The antiulcer assays were undertaken using NSAID-induced, ethanol-induced, stress-induced ulcer models, and determination of gastric secretion using ligated pylorus in rats. Treatment at doses of 50, 250, and 500 mg/kg of B. dracunculifolia essential oil significantly diminished the lesion index, the total lesion area, and the percentage of lesions in comparison with both positive and negative control groups.

Although more investigations are required, results suggest that B. dracunculifolia has potential to be used as a phytotherapic preparation for the treatment of gastric ulcer. All gastroprotective evidence is from animal models; no human clinical trials are available.

Intestinal Inflammation (Colitis) and Gut–Brain Axis

Given the traditional use of B. dracunculifolia, studies have been performed to evaluate the efficacy of the hydroalcoholic extract of B. dracunculifolia (HEBD) against intestinal inflammation induced by oral intake of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in mice. In addition to the action of HEBD against intestinal damage due to DSS-induced colitis, the neuroprotective effect of the extract was also investigated in these colitis mice because of a relationship between IBD and neuropsychiatric comorbidities. A depressive-like behavior was observed in vehicle-treated colitis mice, evidenced by increased immobility time in the tail suspension test; this was not observed in the group treated with HEBD. Evidence remains preclinical (murine models).

Antimicrobial Activity

Research carried out with B. dracunculifolia indicates antimicrobial activities (Veiga et al., 2017; Casagrande et al., 2018; Salazar et al., 2018; Cazella et al., 2019; Pedrotti et al., 2019; Bonin et al., 2020; Timbé et al., 2021; Barbosa et al., 2022; Bernardes et al., 2022; Monteiro et al., 2022). The chemical profile, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity of B. dracunculifolia extract have been evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Twelve compounds were quantified by UHPLC-HRMS including germacrene B, naringenin, kaempferol, artepillin C, α-pinene, hydroxycinnamic acid, apigenin, kaempferide, limonene, phenylethanol, and β-caryophyllene. The extract showed better antimicrobial action against Gram-positive bacteria: for Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis the values in MIC/MBC were 125 and 250 μg/mL, and for Bacillus cereus MIC/MBC was 250 and 500 μg/mL.

All antimicrobial evidence for the plant extract itself is from in vitro studies; translational human data are absent.

Oral Health / Dental Biofilm — Human Clinical Evidence

A clinical study used a pharmaceutical oral formulation based on microemulsion containing extract and essential oil of B. dracunculifolia. The study was randomized and controlled, crossover type, established as a triple-blind study. Twelve healthy subjects, aged between 18 and 30 years, were recruited. After one use, there was no difference between products (P = 0.602); after one week, there was also no difference between the four products evaluated (P = 0.674), so all subjects completed the study with a similar reduction in dental biofilm between themselves but different from the initial state. The reduction effect of extract of B. dracunculifolia on the acidogenic potential of S. mutans is established, as it decreases bacterial acid production. This represents the only published human clinical trial specifically using B. dracunculifolia extract. The study was small (n = 12) and of short duration, so conclusions are limited.

Anticancer / Antiproliferative Activity

Artepillin C possesses antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antigenotoxic, anti-angiogenic, and anticancer properties. Brazilian green propolis, derived from Baccharis dracunculifolia, is rich in artepillin C. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that it possesses anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, chemopreventive, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. All anticancer evidence for B. dracunculifolia itself is from cell lines and rodent models; no clinical oncology trials exist for the whole plant extract.

Antioxidant Activity

Research carries out with B. dracunculifolia also indicates antioxidant activities (Veiga et al., 2017; Casagrande et al., 2018; Tomazzoli et al., 2021; Luchesi et al., 2022; Monteiro et al., 2022). These findings are based on established in vitro assays (DPPH, ABTS) and ex vivo lipid peroxidation models. No human intervention trials measuring antioxidant endpoints have been published for B. dracunculifolia specifically.

Immunomodulatory Activity

B. dracunculifolia and Brazilian green propolis have been reported to show similar anticariogenic, antiulcer, and immunomodulatory activities. Immunomodulatory effects have been observed in vitro in cell-based models. Immunomodulatory activity is documented (Burgos et al., 2022). Evidence remains at the preclinical stage.

Antimutagenic / Antigenotoxic Activity

In an Ames test, the ethyl acetate extract of B. dracunculifolia leaves (11.4–182.8 µg/plate) and artepillin C (0.69–10.99 µg/plate) did not induce an increase in the number of revertant colonies, indicating absence of mutagenic activity. Artepillin C showed a similar antimutagenic effect to that of the leaf extract in some strains of S. typhimurium, demonstrating that the antimutagenic activity of the extract can be partially attributed to artepillin C.

Hepatoprotective Activity

The effects of Baccharis dracunculifolia D.C. extract in LX-2 hepatic stellate cell transdifferentiation have been investigated. Under the investigated concentrations of the plant extracts, no deleterious effects on LX-2 metabolism, such as toxicity, genotoxicity, or apoptosis were observed. When LX-2 activated cells were treated with B. dracunculifolia extract, the comet tail intensity, tail length, and tail moment were reduced, indicating reduction in DNA damage. These findings suggest a potential hepatoprotective role at the cellular level, but remain limited to in vitro cell culture. No human clinical trials on hepatoprotection are available.

Body Systems and Health Areas

Gastrointestinal system: In traditional medicine, it is extensively utilized in the treatment of various inflammation, hepatic ailments, and gastric ulcers. Multiple rodent models demonstrate antiulcer and anti-colitis activity.
Immune system: Its wide range of pharmacological benefits include antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, gastroprotective, immunomodulatory, and anti-cancer effects.
Nervous system: Artepillin C can penetrate the blood–brain barrier, demonstrating neuroprotective effects. Animal studies support effects on hippocampal inflammation and depressive-like behavior in colitis models.
Integumentary system (skin): B. dracunculifolia is popularly used to treat skin diseases. Root extract and baccharis oxide have demonstrated topical anti-inflammatory effects in ear edema mouse models.
Oral cavity / dental: A randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of B. dracunculifolia in the reduction of dental biofilm, comparing this natural product with other mouthwashes already known in the dental market.
Cardiovascular system: In folk medicine, it is used for cardiovascular disorders and as a hypotensive agent.
Respiratory system: In folk medicine, it is used as a bronchodilator and for anti-flu purposes.
Liver/hepatic: Baccharis dracunculifolia is hepatoprotective based on current evidence.

Dosage Forms and Reported Dosages

Treatment at the doses of 50, 250, and 500 mg/kg of B. dracunculifolia essential oil significantly diminished the lesion index, the total lesion area, and the percentage of lesions compared with both positive and negative control groups in rat antiulcer assays.

Doses of 50, 250, and 500 mg/kg of B. dracunculifolia crude extract significantly diminished the lesion index, the total lesion area, and the percentage of the lesion compared with negative control groups in animal gastroprotection models.

The preventive intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of the ethyl acetate extract (5 and 50 mg kg⁻¹) was evidenced macroscopically by reducing the damage score of the lesions in the acute phase of TNBS-induced inflammatory process in rats.

In a genotoxicity safety study, the extract was administered by gavage at doses of 1000, 1500, and 2000 mg/kg body weight. Peripheral blood cell samples were collected 4 and 24 h after treatment for the comet assay, and at 48 and 72 h for the micronucleus test. The B. dracunculifolia extract was devoid of clastogenic/genotoxic activity at all doses.

BdR and BOx (both at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/ear) were used in topical anti-inflammatory mouse ear edema models.

All dosages cited above are from preclinical (rodent) studies. No standardized human therapeutic dosage has been established in peer-reviewed clinical research for B. dracunculifolia plant extracts. The human oral health trial used a microemulsion mouthwash formulation but did not report a specific extract quantity per dose.

Safety Considerations and Toxicology

General Cytotoxicity and In Vitro Safety

In vitro toxicity assays with B. dracunculifolia extract showed low or no cytotoxicity. However, in vivo analyses with high doses of the aqueous extract resulted in genotoxic effects, which leads to the conclusion that the toxicity of this plant is dose-dependent.

Some preliminary safety and toxicity studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of B. dracunculifolia extracts on human non-tumoral cell lines in vitro. Parreira et al. (2010), using in vitro protocols, did not find cytotoxic activity of essential oil, leaf rinse extracts (with dichloromethane), or isolated compounds (phenolics and terpenics) against Vero cells.

Genotoxicity Studies — Conflicting Data

Findings from some studies suggest genotoxic and mutagenic effects of Baccharis dracunculifolia comparable to green propolis in mice. However, this is in contrast to other studies: as no information was available on the safety of high doses of B. dracunculifolia extract, the mutagenic potential of high doses was evaluated in vivo on peripheral blood cells of Swiss mice using the comet assay and the micronucleus test. The extract was administered by gavage at doses of 1000, 1500, and 2000 mg/kg body weight. The B. dracunculifolia extract was devoid of clastogenic/genotoxic activity at all doses.

Other studies in the literature pointed out to the absence of mutagenic/genotoxic effects or cytotoxicity against Vero cells of the hydroalcoholic or organic extracts of B. dracunculifolia aerial parts (Resende et al., 2007; Da Silva Filho et al., 2009; Roberto et al., 2016). The genotoxicity data overall are mixed and context-dependent (extract type, dose, and route of administration), and the issue requires further investigation.

In Vivo Hepatic Effects at High Dose

A study showed mild damage and other changes in liver histology in fish during in vivo tests. However, this study involved a 21-day feeding period with a very high dose of ethanolic extracts from B. dracunculifolia, similar to the quantity used in traditional medicine by humans. These findings highlight that high-dose or prolonged exposure may carry hepatic risks not apparent at lower doses.

In Vitro Hepatic Stellate Cell Safety

Under the investigated concentrations of the plant extracts, no deleterious effects on LX-2 metabolism, such as toxicity, genotoxicity, or apoptosis were observed. This suggests a favorable safety profile at physiological concentrations in liver cell models.

Allergenicity and Propolis-Related Concerns

Because B. dracunculifolia is the principal botanical source for Brazilian green propolis, allergic reactions associated with green propolis — including contact dermatitis and hypersensitivity reactions — are a relevant safety consideration for products derived from or containing this plant. Several essential oils obtained from Baccharis species possess biological activities, such as antimicrobial and antivirus activities. Individuals with known allergies to bee products or to asteraceous plant families should be aware of potential cross-reactivity.

Antimutagenic Context

Both the ethyl acetate extract (Bd-EAE) and isolated artepillin C did not induce an increase in the number of revertant colonies, indicating absence of mutagenic activity. Artepillin C showed a similar antimutagenic effect to that of Bd-EAE in some strains of S. typhimurium, demonstrating that the antimutagenic activity of the extract can be partially attributed to artepillin C.

Overall Evidence Strength Summary

Findings suggest that B. dracunculifolia extracts can potentially be used in the food industry and for the development of nutraceuticals and functional foods. To date, it has been investigated mostly with in vitro models and reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, and anti-cancer effects. ARC is a major and unique component of Brazilian green propolis and B. dracunculifolia and accounts for the wide range of their health beneficial properties. It has potential as an intervention for antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, gastroprotective, immunomodulatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, the overwhelming majority of evidence remains at the preclinical level (in vitro and rodent models). The only human clinical trial published specifically for B. dracunculifolia extract is a small (n = 12), short-duration oral health study. Robust randomized controlled trials in human populations across all major claimed indications are absent from the published record as of the latest reviews.

References

Health Conditions

Health conditions that Baccharis dracunculifolia may help support.

No conditions available.

Body Systems

Body systems that Baccharis dracunculifolia may help support.

No body systems available.