Salvia dominica (Dominica sage, in Arabic ( Maru = مرو or "Khowwekha" = خويخة ), in (Hebrew: מרווה, marva) is a strong-scented perennial shrub found throughout the eastern Mediterranean, especially Jordan[1] Israel,[2] Lebanon and Syria. The branched inflorescence is one of several salvias thought to have inspired the design of the menorah. It grows to about 1 meter in height and width, and blooms in spring or early summer with pale yellow and white flowers in delicate whorls.[3]

Salvia dominica
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Salvia
Species:
S. dominica
Binomial name
Salvia dominica
Synonyms

Salvia graveolens Vahl

Salvia dominica growing in the hill country of Judea

Biological properties

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A group of Italian and Jordanian researchers isolated twenty-four new sesterterpenes, some of them with interesting biological activity due to their interaction with tubulin-tyrosine ligase (TTL), an enzyme involved in the tyrosination cycle of the C-terminus of tubulin, and inhibit TTL activity in cancer cells.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Field Guide of Wild Flower of Jordan and Neighbouring Countries by Dawud Al-Eisawi
  2. ^ Flowers in Israel
  3. ^ Clebsch, Betsy; Barner, Carol D. (2003). The New Book of Salvias. Timber Press. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-88192-560-9.
  4. ^ Dal Piaz F; Vassallo A; Lepore L; Tosco A; Bader A; De Tommasi N (June 2009). "Sesterterpenes as tubulin tyrosine ligase inhibitors. First insight of structure-activity relationships and discovery of new lead". J. Med. Chem. 52 (12): 3814–28. doi:10.1021/jm801637f. hdl:11563/19141. PMID 19459643.