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Parthenium hysterophorus is an annual herb that is associated with some common name such
as congress grass, ragweed Parthenium, Santa Maria IeverIew, whitetop weed.
It is native to Mexico, Central and South America. Parthenium hysterophorus was
accidentally introduced into several countries including Australia, India, Taiwan and
Ethiopia.
The word Parthenium is derived Irom the Latin word 'parthenice', suggesting medicinal uses.
The origin oI this obnoxious weed is traced to the Caribbean but its adverse eIIects are Ielt
largely in AIrican, Australian and Asian country. The weed was Iirst sighted in Pune in
1956. It had travelled Irom the USA with wheat seeds and gradually spread to every corner oI
the country. Parthenium entered India with imported Ioodgrains in the mid-1950s. Initially,
the deadly weed occupied largely non-crop areas like wasteland, open Iorests and roadsides.
Now it has now spread to cropping land at an alarming rate.
Parthenium weed is capable oI growing in most soil types but becomes most
dominant in alkaline, clay loam soils, which has a deep tap root and an erect stem
that becomes woody with age. As it matures, the plant develops many branches in its
top halI and may eventually reach a height oI two metres. Its leaves are pale green,
deeply lobed and covered with Iine soIt hairs. Small creamy white Ilowers occur on
the tips oI the numerous stems. Each Ilower contains Iour to Iive black seeds that are
wedge-shaped, two millimetres long with two thin, white scales.

This weed normally germinates in spring and early summer, produces Ilowers and seed
throughout its liIe and dies around late autumn. However, with suitable conditions
rain, available moisture, mild temperatures, parthenium weed can grow and produce
Ilowers at any time oI the year. In summer, plants can Ilower and set seed within
Iour weeks oI germination, particularly iI stressed.
Parthenium has been declared noxious in America, Australia, India and many other countries
especially those having tropical climates. Scientists describe it as a "poisonous, allergic and
aggressive weed posing a serious threat to human beings and livestock." It squeezes
grasslands and pastures, reducing the Iodder supply and crop yield reduced upto the 40.
The reasons Ior its Iast spread are:
(l) High germination ability throughout the year,
(2) Large seed production ability,
(3) High survival rate,
(4) Extreme adaptability in a wide range oI habitats.
(5) Easy dispersal oI seeds.
This weed is health hazard to human beings since it emits carbon dioxide and hence, posses a
problem to nitrogen Iixation and becomes a parasite, dependent on standing crops and
animals in its vicinity. Its pollens are a major cause oI asthma, especially in children and
elderly people. Also causes allergy, irritation oI eyes and dermatitis; a skin diseases among
animals and human beings. It reduces yield oI milk and weight oI animals.
Although Parthenium has various negative impact on the environment still it also has some
medicinal use because oI the presence oI Sesquiterpene lactones. These sesquiterpene lactone
that are bitter substances oIten contain as a major structural Ieature, an u,-unsaturated--
lactone, in recent studies which has been shown to be associated with anti- tumor, cytotoxic,
anti- microbial and phytotoxic activity. They are known to poison livestock, to act as insect
Ieeding deterrents and to cause allergic contact dermatitis in humans. Allergies caused by
Parthenium can be treated by Homoeopathic drug prepared Irom Parthenium. It is also Iound
as promising remedy against hepatic amoebiasis. It is Iound pharmacologically active against
neuralgia and certain types oI rheumatism and also used as Iolk remedy (Navie et al., 1996).
It is applied externally on skin disorders and decoction oI the plant is oIten taken internally as
a remedy Ior a wide variety oI ailments (Dominguez and Sierra, 1970, Morton, 1981).
The present state oI knowledge on the biological activities and mechanism oI action oI some
sesquiterpene lactones will help us to work on weedicidal and Iungicidal activity oI
Parthenium.






#eview oI literature:-
Antimicrobial activity oI Parthenium spp.
The leaI extracts oI weeds have great potential as antimicrobial compounds against
microorganisms. Thus, they can be used in the treatment oI inIectious diseases. They can also
be used Ior seed treatment to protect them against seedborne pathogens. The traditional
medicinal methods, especially the use oI medicinal weeds, still play a vital role to cover the
basic health needs in the developing countries and moreover the use oI herbal remedies has
risen in the developed countries in the last decades. The active principles oI many drugs are
Iound in weed. The remarkable contribution oI weeds to the drug industry was possible,
because oI the large number oI phytochemicals and biological studies all over the world. The
major constituents oI Parthenium hysterophorus are parthenin, phenolic acids such as caIIeic
acid, vanillic acid, anisic acid, chlorogenic acid and parahydroxy benzoic acid. Although
Parthenium is considered as toxic plant but many allelopathic, medicinal and industrial uses
are there. To check the anti- microbial activity oI Parthenium, on the growth medium
microorganisms are tested.
Weedicidal activity oI Parthenium spp.
Use oI synthetic chemicals has no doubt improved crop yields quantitatively as well as
qualitatively but has created undesirable side eIIects in the Iorm oI health hazards,
deterioration oI environment quality and development oI resistance and cross resistance. Due
to these problems, eIIorts are being made to Iind alternatives to these chemicals. Among the
various alternatives, use oI natural plant products, called allelochemicals, oIIers a new
approach Ior the management oI noxious weeds and pests in a sustainable manner (Macias et
al. 2001). These are biodegradable, and rarely contain halogenated atoms. They possess novel
target sites that are diIIerent Irom synthetic chemicals, and can thus be explored as lead
chemicals Ior the synthesis oI new herbicides. They also exhibit a large degree oI novelty and
structural diversity and are highly sought aIter Ior the discovery oI new agrochemicals (Duke
et al. 2000). Moreover, the discovery oI novel modes oI action would lead to the development
oI new weed management tools. Sesquiterpene lactones are one oI the very important groups
oI natural plant products known Ior their biological activities, including allelopathic
properties (Macias et al. 2001). Among sesquiterpene lactones, parthenin is a natural
component oI Parthenium hysterophorus known Ior its phytotoxicity towards other plants
including aquatic species (Pandey 1996; Batish et al. 1997, 2002).

Nematicidal activity oI Parthenium spp.
Management oI root-knot nematodes and wilt Iungus with chemicals, under Iield condition is
cost prohibitive, hazardous and cause serious environmental pollution. So eIIorts are being
made these days to shiIt Irom the conventional use oI chemicals to the use oI eco-Iriendly
botanicals Ior the management oI plant parasitic nematodes. Organic amendments are not
only saIe to use but also have the capacity to improve soil structure and Iertility. Thus,
control strategies are now directed towards the use oI natural products.
Insecticidal activity oI the Parthenium spp.
The most suitable remedy Ior the problems is to control their population and ever increasing
use oI chemicals to control mosquitoes was Iound to accumulate in the Iood chain, residual
eIIect, high cost, environmental pollution and can also cause serious toxic hazards to humans,
animals and other non-target creatures and developing resistance to conventional insecticides
in many mosquito species have reviewed great interest in exploiting the vector control
potential oI natural origins. Pesticide exposure among humans has been linked to immune
dysIunction, various Iorms oI cancer and birth deIects (Bounias, 2003). All these Iactors led
to search Ior saIer and more compatible alternatives to combat these problems, among which
natural products, especially plant derived called botanicals are now emerging as a viable
component oI Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (Jeyabalan et al, 2003). Apart Irom neem,
various other plant species have also shown promising pest controlling properties. These
categories oI pesticides are known as biopesticides (Mulla, 1994).
Besides this so many researchers have been done on the Parthenium hysterophorus to check
haematological eIIect and hypoglycaemic eIIect on the rats and other mammals.
Keeping in view the knowledge-gap the present project is designed to evaluate the anti-Iungal
and Weedicidal eIIects oI Parthenium hysterophorus.