Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray: Botany, Bioactivity, and Secondary Metabolites

Authors

  • Marina Silalahi Program Studi Pendidikan Biologi, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Kristen Indonesia, Cawang, Jakarta Timur, Indonesia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33541/pro-life.v13i2.8077

Keywords:

Tithonia diversifolia, antimicrobial, epicatechin, botany, bioactivity

Abstract

Tithonia diversifolia is widely found across various landscapes in Indonesia, from roadsides and neglected areas, and information on its use remains limited. This study aims to explain the botany, bioactivity, and secondary metabolites of T. diversifolia. This research is based on a review of online literature using the keywords T. diversifolia, uses T. diversifolia, and secondary metabolites of T. diversifolia. Tithonia diversifolia is a perennial shrub-like plant, growing to 1.2 – 3 m, easily recognized by its cup-shaped yellow ribbon flowers. The bioactivities of T. diversifolia include antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, and Alzheimer's disease treatment. Various researchers have reported that T. diversifolia inhibits the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, Corynebacterium diptheriae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Microbacterium foliorum, and Rhodococcus equi. Epicatechin and quercetin are promising antibacterial agents. The bioactivity of T. diversifolia as a microbial agent is more pronounced than that of other species, making it highly promising for development as an alternative antibiotic.

References

Ajao, A. A., & Moteetee, A. N. (2017). Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray (Asteraceae: Heliantheae), an invasive plant of significant ethnopharmacological importance: A review. South African Journal of Botany, 113, 396–403.

Almayda, N., Arraihan, N. P., Alfira, D., Masruri, M., Susanti, E., & Safitri, A. (2025). Phytochemical compositions, microencapsulation, and antioxidant activity of aqueous extract from Tithonia diversifolia leaves. Trends in Sciences, 22(9), 10306.

Bouberte, M. Y., Krohn, K., Hussain, H., Dongo, E., Schulz, B., & Hu, Q. (2006). Tithoniamarin and tithoniamide: A structurally unique isocoumarin dimer and a new ceramide from Tithonia diversifolia. Natural Product Research, 20(9), 842–849.

Chagas-Paula, D. A., Oliveira, R. B., Rocha, B. A., & da Costa, F. B. (2012). Ethnobotany, chemistry, and biological activities of the genus Tithonia (Asteraceae). Chemistry & Biodiversity, 9(2), 210–235.

da Silva Júnior, R. A., de Carvalho Fragoso, M., Paraguassu, B. A., Marcos, R. A., Scherer, R., Osório, V. M., ... & de Andrade, T. U. (2025). Chemical composition and acaricidal and insecticidal activity of the essential oil of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray (Asteraceae). Neotropical Entomology, 54(1), 50.

Di Giacomo, C., Vanella, L., Sorrenti, V., Santangelo, R., Barbagallo, I., Calabrese, G., ... & Acquaviva, R. (2015). Effects of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray extract on adipocyte differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. PLOS ONE, 10(4), e0122320.

Fessel, J. (2023). Cure of Alzheimer's dementia requires addressing all of the affected brain cell types. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(5), 2049.

Gu, J. Q., Gills, J. J., Park, E. J., Mata-Greenwood, E., Hawthorne, M. E., Axelrod, F., ... & Kinghorn, A. D. (2002). Sesquiterpenoids from Tithonia diversifolia with potential cancer chemopreventive activity. Journal of Natural Products, 65(4), 532–536.

Guimarães, G. M., Cazarin, C. A., Bernadina, J. G., Eisendecker, H. I., dos Santos, A. C., Dalmagro, A. P., ... & de Souza, M. M. (2025). Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) extract attenuates cognitive dysfunction, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in a model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease induced by streptozotocin. Exploration of Neuroscience, 4, 1006109.

Jama, B., Palm, C. A., Buresh, R. J., Niang, A., Gachengo, C., Nziguheba, G., & Amadalo, B. (2000). Tithonia diversifolia as a green manure for soil fertility improvement in western Kenya: A review. Agroforestry Systems, 49, 201–221.

John-Dewole, O. O., & Oni, S. O. (2013). Phytochemical and antimicrobial studies of extracts from the leaves of Tithonia diversifolia for pharmaceutical importance. International Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences, 6, 21–25.

Kato-Noguchi, H., & Kato, M. (2025). Defensive compounds involved in the invasiveness of Tithonia diversifolia. Molecules, 30(9), 1946.

Kuroda, M., Yokosuka, A., Kobayashi, R., Jitsuno, M., Kando, H., Nosaka, K., ... & Mimaki, Y. (2007). Sesquiterpenoids and flavonoids from the aerial parts of Tithonia diversifolia and their cytotoxic activity. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 55(8), 1240–1244.

Lalremruata, B. C., Vanlalhluna, P. C., & Singh, G. (2025). Tagitinin C: A potential anticancer agent from Tithonia diversifolia: A comprehensive review. South African Journal of Botany, 177, 472–486.

Lee, M. Y., Liao, M. H., Tsai, Y. N., Chiu, K. H., & Wen, H. C. (2011). Identification and anti-human glioblastoma activity of tagitinin C from Tithonia diversifolia methanolic extract. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59(6), 2347–2355.

Miranda, M. A., Varela, R. M., Torres, A., Molinillo, J. M. G., Gualtieri, S. C. J., & Macías, F. A. (2015). Phytotoxins from Tithonia diversifolia. Journal of Natural Products, 78(5), 1083–1092.

Miura, T., Nosaka, K., Ishii, H., & Ishida, T. (2005). Antidiabetic effect of Nitobegiku, the herb Tithonia diversifolia, in KK-Ay diabetic mice. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 28(11), 2152–2154.

Moronkola, D. O., Ogunwande, I. A., Walker, T. M., Setzer, W. N., & Oyewole, I. O. (2007). Identification of the main volatile compounds in the leaf and flower of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) Gray. Journal of Natural Medicines, 61, 63–66.

Obafemi, C. A., Sulaimon, T. O., Akinpelu, D. A., & Olugbade, T. A. (2006). Antimicrobial activity of extracts and a germacranolide-type sesquiterpene lactone from Tithonia diversifolia leaf extract. African Journal of Biotechnology, 5(12).

Ogundare, A. O. (2007). Antimicrobial effect of Tithonia diversifolia and Jatropha gossypifolia leaf extracts. Trends in Applied Sciences Research, 2(2), 145–150.

Olayinka, B. U., Raiyemo, D. A., & Etejere, E. O. (2015). Phytochemical and proximate composition of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray. Annals of Food Science and Technology, 16(1), 195–200.

Oluyele, O., Ejigbo, G. O., & Bodun, D. S. (2025). Antibacterial efficacy and bioisosteric optimization of lead compounds from Tithonia diversifolia targeting DNA gyrase B in multidrug-resistant bacteria. In Silico Research in Biomedicine, 100073.

Owoyele, V. B., Wuraola, C. O., Soladoye, A. O., & Olaleye, S. B. (2004). Studies on the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of Tithonia diversifolia leaf extract. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 90(2–3), 317–321.

Oyewole, I. O., Adeoye, G. O., Anyasor, G. N., & Obansa, J. A. (2008). Anti-malarial and repellent activities of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) leaf extracts. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 2(8), 171–175.

Pereira, P. S., Dias, D. A., Vichnewski, W., Nasi, A. M. T. T., & Herz, W. (1997). Sesquiterpene lactones from Brazilian Tithonia diversifolia. Phytochemistry, 45(7), 1445–1448.

Pulido, K. D. P., Dulcey, A. J. C., & Martínez, J. H. I. (2017). New caffeic acid derivative from Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray butanolic extract and its antioxidant activity. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 109, 1079–1085.

Sampaio, B. L., Edrada-Ebel, R., & da Costa, F. B. (2016). Effect of the environment on the secondary metabolic profile of Tithonia diversifolia: A model for environmental metabolomics of plants. Scientific Reports, 6(1), 29265.

Tran, T. T. T., Vu, T. T. H., & Nguyen, T. H. (2013). Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using Tithonia diversifolia leaf extract and their antimicrobial activity. Materials Letters, 105, 220–223.

Wang, J., Li, H., Wang, T., Xie, H., Ruan, Y., & Zhang, C. (2025). Research on the anti-hepatic fibrosis effects and active components of the medicinal plant Tithonia diversifolia. Fitoterapia, 180, 106317.

Zhao, G., Li, X., Chen, W., Xi, Z., & Sun, L. (2012a). Three new sesquiterpenes from Tithonia diversifolia and their anti-hyperglycemic activity. Fitoterapia, 83(8), 1590–1597.

Zhao, G. J., Xi, Z. X., Chen, W. S., Li, X., Sun, L., & Sun, L. N. (2012b). Chemical constituents from Tithonia diversifolia and their chemotaxonomic significance. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 44, 250–254.

Downloads

Published

2026-07-22

How to Cite

Silalahi, M. (2026). Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray: Botany, Bioactivity, and Secondary Metabolites. Pro-Life, 13(2), 238–249. https://doi.org/10.33541/pro-life.v13i2.8077

Issue

Section

Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>