As for the application in Guatemala of the common name 

 Mejorana for S. Jorullensis, S. polycephala and S. viscida, the 

 reason is not clear, since these three species are not related taxo- 

 nomically, or are morphologically similar (Grashoff, 1972). It 

 may be noted, however, that the word Mejorana in Spanish is 

 often used to refer to aromatic herbs, such as Origanum Maju- 



rana L. (sweet marjoram). 



To cite another example, the common name Oreja de ratbn 

 (mouse's ear) has also been applied to S. hirsula and S. leh- 

 mannii. two taxonomically unrelated species. 



2. Pharmacological studies 



Of all the species enumerated in this paper, only Stevia 

 Rehaudiana has been investigated most thoroughly, in terms of 

 its botany, phytochemistry and pharmacology (Felippe, 1977; 

 Angelucci, 1981; Sakaguchi and Kan, 1982). Obviously, this has 

 been due to the sweet properties of this plant, and to its potential 



as a sweetener. 



Aside from S. Rebaudiana, only in one other species, namely 

 S. Euputoria, have observations on the pharmacological effects 

 of its crude extracts been made. Thus, a series of reports 

 (Armendaris, 1905; Loaeza, 1905; Lozano y Castro, 1905; Marti- 

 nez del Campo, 1905; Ruiz, 1905; Villasenor, 1905; Flores, 1907) 

 were published at the beginning of this century, detailing the 

 results of experiments in rabbits, sheep and pigeons, as well as 

 clinical observations in humans, using water infusions of Stevia 

 Eupatoria. These experiments were performed at the Instituto 

 Medico Nacional in Mexico, in an attempt to verify the diuretic, 

 antimalarial and toxic effects claimed for the plant. 



The results of these studies were summarized as follows 



(Flores, 1907): 



i. Dried plants, when ingested by rabbits and sheep, did not 



produce any toxicity, 

 ii. In the pigeon, a water infusion produced a purgative effect, 



even when administered intravenously, 

 iii. In rabbits, no increase of urinary secretion was produced 



after administration. 

 iv. Clinical observations of the root decoction as a diuretic 



showed that it worked in the majority of cases, but a defini- 



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