Packera aurea (L.) A. & D. Löve - syn.Senecio aureus L. - Asteraceae
golden ragwort, liferoot, squaw weed, Goldkreuzkraut
Erect perennial herb, native to North America.
„Life root, as it was called by the Eclectics, was used as a uterine tonic… The plant was an important treatment among the Native Americans and among the Eclectic medicine physicians for reproductive conditions.“
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packera_aurea
Eremophilane sesquiterpenes have been isolated from P.aurea: trans-9-Oxofuranoeremophilane, 8α-ethoxy-10αH-eremophilenolide, 3α-angeloyloxy-9-oxo-10αH-furanoeremophilane.
[Eremophilane sesquiterpenes from Senecio aureus., Zalkow, L.H., Gelbaum, L.T., Van Derveer, D., Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1, 1979, 1542-1546]
„The North American liferoot (S.aureus) has also been widely used to treat gynaecological problems - mainly to induce menstruation and to reduce excessive bleeding (as douche).“
As the plant contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (with haemostyptic properties in animal studies), senecio species are no longer considered safe for internal use.
[Medicinal Plants of the World. Ben-Erik Van Wyk and Michael Wink, Pretoria 2004, 297]
[ Chemical study of Senecio aureus., Kelly, E.A., Lynn, E.V., Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Vol.20(8), 1931, 755-759]
Packera aurea as Senecio aureus L.; Millspaugh, C.F., American medicinal plants, vol.1, t.91 (1892)
http://plantgenera.org/species.php?id_species=737304