End of Semester

Hello, Finally! The semester is over. This one was a special one. This was my last semester at Phoenix College before transferring to ASU West, and I am over the moon excited! I am very grateful to this program, I wish I had joined earlier in my education. A big thanks to Joshua James and Amanda Chapman. Thank you for guiding me thru this process. And thank you to all of my peers. You are all so brilliant and inspire me so much. Your presentations were phenomenal! I hope to see you all in the future. Maybe there will be a reunion someday, and we can have those chimichangas. Have a wonderful summer, Wendy

May 13th

Hello, Welcome back! While doing my research, I was very surprised that some of my most in-depth sources are papers written in the early 1900’s. Once upon a time, I was once told that a man with the name of Rockefeller had changed the medicine industry. I didn’t think much of it but decided to look into it now. I learned that in the early 1900’s Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, both very wealthy, influential men, brought about capitalism to the health care industry and re-invented the medical curriculum being taught in schools at that time. There is a book that was written in 1979 by Richard E. Brown that I plan on ordering and reading over the summer. The book is called: Rockefeller Medicine Men : Medicine and Capitalism in America. Perhaps this might explain why research on plants being used as medicine is not so easily available as plants are not so easily obtained throughout the world but a pill can be distributed without loosing it’s freshness. Thank you for visiting! Wendy Reference: https://digitalcommons.rockefeller.edu/the-rockefellers/37/

May 6th

Hello there! We are nearing the end of the semester and rushing to get as much information into our brains as possible. Here’s a brief reminder: You’ve got this! This week I am getting my research together and finding as much as possible on my plants. In my list, there are four different plants with the ‘Prunus’ prefix and four with the ‘Lupinus’ prefix. All these names sure make me wish I knew Latin. I haven’t come across the language in community college but will hopefully be able to take it later at the university level. For now, I have just finished French 101 and am very proud of it. We’ve got this.

Image created by: Me!

Mid-April

Hello friends, April has been rushing by and we are about a month away from the end of the semester. I haven’t had much time to work on my research as I have been busy with classes. But, this research always gets me in a good mood so I’ll be spending this weekend working on it. This week I have been studying Helenium Autumnale, otherwise known as ‘Sneezeweed’. This is a prairie wildflower that blooms from June to October. There are many Helenium varieties but the Autumnale is the one on my list. It is known to be toxic to grazing animals such as sheep. It upsets their stomach. This seems very odd seeing how it has been used by humans as a remedy for colds and diseases of the chest. I have yet to find how the plant was prepared. Have a wonderful week! -Wendy

References: • Elecampane. (2018). In P. Lagasse, & Columbia University, The Columbia encyclopedia (8th ed.). Columbia University Press. Credo Reference: https://ezproxy.pc.maricopa.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/columency/elecampane/0?institutionId=5317 • Wang et al. (2018) Total sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Inula helenium L. attenuates 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in mice. Phytomedicine. Volume 46, Pages 78-84. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711318301363 • https://www.izelplants.com/native-perennials/helenium-autumnale-common-sneezeweed/

Fagopyrum Esculentum

This week, I studied Fagopyrum Esculentum, otherwise known as Buckwheat. This plant was originally tagged for me as toxic by the USDA website. It was really surprising to find out that it is known as Buckwheat and is used for purposes for human consumption. Not only is it high in nutrients, but it is also flavorful. “So, why is this classified as toxic?” said I. Well, it turns out, the plant is toxic, but the ripe seeds are not toxic! The ripe seeds are the parts that are used for making buckwheat flour. The plant itself, on the other hand, contains Fagopyrin. This chemical reacts to ultraviolet rays when it is already inside the body! This happens particularly in non-pigmented skin. It irritates the blood vessels and it sometimes takes up to three months to recuperate. In this picture, you can see the effects of the Fagopyrin chemical on the non-pigmented parts of the horse but not on the pigmented, brown, areas.

(2019) Guide to Poisonous Plants. Colorado State University, James L. Voss. Veterinary Teaching Hospital. https://csuvth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/Plants/Details/44 Kiprovski, B. et al. (2015) Comparison of Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Properties of European Fagopyrum Escalentum Cultivars. Food Chemistry. Volume 112, Issue 1, 1 January 2009, Pages 120-124. Elsevier Ltd.

April 1st

 Today while driving home from lab, I came across a podcast that made my drive home very enjoyable.  Not only was it enjoyable, but it was also informative and inspiring.

On the podcast, they were interviewing Dr. Marilyn Glassberg.

She spoke about the research her and her team did when the Covid-19 virus started. She mentioned the research some students had done was purely literary reviews, just like my current research. I had always thought meaningful research was the kind that involves a lab, so doing this research by researching literary reviews has not been as motivating as I hoped it would be. But, hearing about these students making a difference with their literary reviews has inspired me deeply. I am seeing my project with brand new eyes and enthusiasm.

So, for a little talk about my research this week.. here’s a little bit of food for thought: Apocynum Cannabinum, also known as ‘Dogbane’. Was used by natives in the Americas not only for its strong fibers to make ropes and baskets. But, it was also used for all kinds of ailments such as: headaches and cardiac issues. The root is able to be made into a mixture that helps hair grow and gets rid of dandruff.

 

Until next time,

Wendy

 

If you would like to listen to the podcast previously mentioned, go to:

https://phoenixmed.arizona.edu/podcasts , Episode 17 – Crisis Leadership: Innovating Treatment Protocols to Battle COVID-19

 

References:

Stevens, Michelle. (2000, December). Plant Guide Plant Materials Plant Fact Sheet/Guide Coordination Page National Plant Data Center INDIAN HEMP Apocynum cannabinum L. United States Department of Agriculture- Natural Resources Conservation Service. https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_apca.pdf

March 11, 2021

Hello there, and welcome back! These past two weeks have been a bit rough as midterms approached but I'm back and ready to go. Today I would like to talk about my research proposal. It's taken some thinking and re-thinking but I think it's finally getting clear as to where it is going. 

My topic: Beneficial Properties of the Most Toxic Plants in Arizona

I selected this topic because I would like to know which plants in my community are toxic to me and my loved ones but also to find out what kind of benefits they might bring about. Just like people, there might be something good about them. This topic is of significant importance because some plants might be beneficial to humans regardless of their toxicity. Specifying their benefits to humanity will help preserve plants that would otherwise be discarded and or destroyed by human habitants. It is important to educate the public so they can make more informed decisions regarding the plants on their properties. By educating the public, we can stop or slow down the destruction of commonly known toxic plants in our community.

I plan on doing this research by literature review. There is a vast amount of information available from published journals that can guide the research. The information will be compiled and focused on the five most toxic plants that are currently in Arizona. State Toxic Plants Types Native or non-native Toxic to Humans, Pets, or Both and their medicinal properties, if any.

Can a plant be both toxic and beneficial?

Thru this research, I expect to find which flowers and bushes are toxic, domestic or wild, as well as if they hold any beneficial properties. I expect to find more research explaining the effects on animals but not be as much research explaining the effects on humans.