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Medicago sativa L.

Botanical Name

Medicago sativa L.

English Name

Alfalfa

Synonym(s)

Medicago caerulea var. pauciflora; Medicago karatschaica; Medicago lavrenkoi; Medicago pauciflora; Medicago sativa var. pilifera

Family

Fabaceae

General Info

Description

Alfalfa is a perennial herb. It grows to a height of a foot or more. The erect, smooth stem grows from an elongated taproot. The flowers are blue to purple. It produces a characteristic spirally coiled seed pods.

Herb Effects

Tonic, Antifungal, Laxative, Diuretic, Detoxifier, Anti-inflammatory, Febrifuge, Hepatoprotective, Digestive, Nutritive, Anodyne, Anti-Arthritic

Links

Tropical Plant Database
Medicago sativa L.
Tropical Forages
Plants for a Future
The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

Chemistry

Active Ingredients

3'-Methoxycoumestrol, 3-Methylbutanol, -O-Methylcoumestrol 4-Amino-Butyric-Acid, 11,12-Dimethoxy-7-Hydroxycoumestin, Adenine, Alfalfone, Alpha-Spinasterol, Alpha-Tocopherol, Arabinose, Beta-sitosterol, Betaine, Biochanin-A, Butanone, Campesterol, Chlorophyllide-A, Choline, Coumestrol, Cryptoxanthin, Cycloartenol, Daidzen, Daphnoretin, Formononetin , Genistein, Hederagenin, Hentriacontane, Hypoxanthine, L-Stachydrine, Limonene, Lucernol, Lutein, Malic-acid, Malonic-acid, Medicagenic-acid, Medicagol, Niacin, Octacosanol, Oxalic, Pectin, Pectinase, Quinic-acid, Riboflavin, Sativol,Shikimic-acid, Soyasapogenols, Stachydrine, Stigmasterol, Succinic-acid,Triacontanol, Trifoliol, Trigonelline, Trimethylamine, Tryptophan, Violaxanthin, Vit-E, Vit-K, Xanthophylls, Xylose, Zeaxanthin

Chemistry of Active Ingredients

Name

CAS#

IUPAC Name

Formula

Structure

3-Methylbutanol

6423-06-9

3-methylbutan-1-ol

C₅H₁₂O

Adenine

5426-35-7

7H-purin-6-amine

C₅H₅N₅

alpha-Spinasterol

481-18-5

17-(5-ethyl-6-methyl
-hept-3-en-2-yl)-10,
13-dimethyl-2,3,4,5,
6,9,11,12, 14,15,16
,17-dodecahydro-1H-c
yclopenta[a]phenanth
ren-3-ol

C₂₉H₄₈O

alpha-Tocopherol

364-50-1

2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-
2-(5,9,13-trimethylt
etradecyl)chroman-6-
ol

C₃₀H₅₂O₂

beta-Sitosterol

5779-62-4

17-(5-ethyl-6-methyl
-heptan-2-yl)-10,13-
dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9
,11,12,14, 15,16,17
-dodecahydro-1H-cycl
openta[a]phenanthren
-3-ol

C₂₉H₅₀O

Betaine

590-47-6

carboxymethyl-trimet
hyl-ammonium
hydroxide

C₅H₁₃NO₃

Biochanin-A

491-80-5

4,5-dihydroxy-3-(4-m
ethoxyphenyl)-chrome
n-7-one

C₁₆H₁₂O₅

Butanone

78-93-3

butan-2-one

C₄H₈O

Campesterol

474-62-4

17-(5,6-dimethylhept
an-2-yl)-10,13-dimet
hyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,1
2,14,15,16 ,17-dode
cahydro-1H-cyclopent
a[a]phenanthren-3-ol

C₂₈H₄₈O

Choline

67-48-1

2-hydroxyethyl-trime
thyl-ammonium

C₅H₁₄NO+

Coumestrol

Not Available

C₁₅H₈O₅

Cryptoxanthin

472-70-8

3,5,5-trimethyl-4-[3
,7,12,16-tetramethyl
-18-(2,6,6-trimethyl
-1-cyclohe xenyl)-o
ctadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11
,13,15,17-nonaenyl]-
cyclohex-3-en-1-ol

C₄₀H₅₆O

Cycloartenol

Not Available

C₃₀H₅₀O

Daphnoretin

2034-69-7

2-hydroxy-6-methoxy-
3-(2-oxochromen-7-yl
)oxy-chromen-7-one

C₁₉H₁₂O₇

Formononetin

485-72-3

4-hydroxy-3-(4-metho
xyphenyl)-chromen-7-
one

C₁₆H₁₂O₄

Genistein

446-72-0

4,5-dihydroxy-3-(4-h
ydroxyphenyl)-chrome
n-7-one

C₁₅H₁₀O₅

Hederagenin

465-99-6

10-hydroxy-9-(hydrox
ymethyl)-2,2,6a,6b,9
,12a-hexamethyl-1,3,
4,5,6,6a,7 ,8,8a,10
,11,12,13,14b-tetrad
ecahydropicene-4a-ca
rboxylic acid

C₃₀H₄₈O₄

Hentriacontane

630-04-6

hentriacontane

C₃₁H₆₄

Hypoxanthine

Not Available

3,7-dihydropurin-6-o
ne

C₅H₄N₄O

Limonene

9003-73-0

1-methyl-4-prop-1-en
-2-yl-cyclohexene

C₁₀H₁₆

Lutein

34445-91-5

4-[18-(4-hydroxy-2,6
,6-trimethyl-1-cyclo
hexenyl)-3,7,12,16-t
etramethyl -octadec
a-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15
,17-nonaenyl]-3,5,5-
trimethyl-cyclohex-2
-e n-1-ol

C₄₀H₅₆O₂

Malic acid

Not Available

2-hydroxybutanedioic
acid

C₄H₆O₅

Malonic acid

926-71-6

propanedioic acid

C₃H₄O₄

Medicagenic acid

599-07-5

2,3-dihydroxy-4,6a,6
b,11,11,14b-hexameth
yl-1,2,3,4a,5,6,7,8,
9,10,12,12 a,14,14a
-tetradecahydropicen
e-4,8a-dicarboxylic
acid

C₃₀H₄₆O₆

Medicagol

1983-72-8

Not Available

C₁₆H₈O₆

Niacin

99148-57-9

pyridine-3-carboxyli
c acid

C₆H₅NO₂

Octacosanol

67905-27-5

octacosan-1-ol

C₂₈H₅₈O

Sativol

7331-58-0

Not Available

C₁₆H₁₀O₆

Trifoliol

1857-26-7

Not Available

C₁₆H₁₀O₆

Violaxanthin

126-29-4

6-[18-(3-hydroxy-1,5
,5-trimethyl-7-oxabi
cyclo[4.1.0]hept-6-y
l)-3,7,12, 16-tetra
methyl-octadeca-1,3,
5,7,9,11,13,15,17-no
naenyl]-1,5,5-trimet
hy l-7-oxabicyclo[4
.1.0]heptan-3-ol

C₄₀H₅₆O₄

Zeaxanthin

Not Available

4-[18-(4-hydroxy-2,6
,6-trimethyl-1-cyclo
hexenyl)-3,7,12,16-t
etramethyl -octadec
a-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15
,17-nonaenyl]-3,5,5-
trimethyl-cyclohex-3
-e n-1-ol

C₄₀H₅₆O₂

Pharmacology

Medicinal Use

Overall tonic and appetite stimulant (stomach disorders, arthritis); treat urinary tract infections, kidney, bladder and prostrate disorders; heart problems (leaves in juice form); respitory dysfunctions (chlorophyll); are used as a nutritive tonic to stimulate the appetite, in the treatment of earache, to encourage the clotting of blood and promote weight gain (leaves); has an oestrogenic action and useful in treating problems related to menstruation and the menopause (plant); in the treatment of gravel (plant juice); taken internally for debility in convalescence or anaemia, haemorrhage, menopausal complaints, pre-menstrual tension, fibroids etc (plant); in cases of highly coloured urine (root).

Contraindication

Seeds should not be ingested during pregnancy or lactation. Flatulence, abdominal discomfort, loose stools, diarrhea, and loss of appetite may result from ingesting large amounts of alfalfa seeds. (120 g/day).

Reference

Johnson Timothy. CRC Ethnobotany Desk Reference (www.herbweb.com/herbage).

Phytochemical Database. USDA - ARS - NGRL. Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Beltsville. Maryland.

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