Botanical Overview
Davana (Artemisia pallens) is a species in the Asteraceae family. The daisy family (Asteraceae) is one of the largest plant families, characterized by composite flower heads (capitula) that contain many small florets surrounded by bracts. Plants range from tiny alpine herbs to large tropical trees. The family includes many medicinally important species with bitter compounds and essential oils. Although comprehensive ethnobotanical records are limited, phytochemical studies have identified 30 compounds in this species, suggesting potential medicinal value.
General Description
Commonly known as dhavanam from the Sanskrit name दमनक (damanaka), (Tamil: மரிக்கொழுந்து, தவணம், Marathi: दवणा, Kannada: ದವನ). The flowers are racemose panicles, bear numerous small yellow flower heads or capitula, but the silvery white silky covering of down gives the foliage a grey or white appearance. Dhavanam has alternate pinnasect leaves (leaf which is divided into opposite pairs of lobes cut almost to the midrib In narrow divisions) or palmatisect leaves (the green tissue is divided into several segments not fully separated At the base).
Family Context
The Asteraceae family is extremely large and diverse. Notable medicinal members include:
- Yarrow — 63 documented uses
- Gobo — 63 documented uses
- Mugwort — 55 documented uses
- Sunflower — 52 documented uses
Geographic Distribution
Davana has been recorded in , and ZZ.
Active Compounds
Phytochemical research has identified 30 compounds in this species, including a diverse array of phytochemical classes (see the Complete Chemical Inventory below for the full list).
The identified compounds include the following categories:
- Alkaloid: nitrogenous compounds with diverse pharmacological activities
Research Status
Although this species has documented phytochemical constituents, its ethnobotanical and clinical documentation remains incomplete. Additional phytochemical investigation could identify novel bioactive compounds in this plant.