Appearance Crystalline powder | ||
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Helenin is a phytochemical mixture found in many plant species, including the Inula helenium (elecampane) of the Asteraceae family. It is a mixture of two isomeric sesquiterpene lactones, alantolactone and isoalantolactone.
Contents
In 1895 a German scientists Julius Bredt and Wilhelm Posh extracted helenin from Inula helenium and determined its physical and chemical properties.
Properties
The roots of Inula helenium can be extracted using alcohol or other non-polar solvents to produce helenin with a composition of about 40% alantolactone and 60% isoalantolactone.
Biological activity
Alantolactone has a variety of in vitro biochemical properties, including:
Toxicity
Certain individuals have experienced contact dermatitis when exposed to alantolactone.
References
Helenin Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA