Impatiens pallida is a plant commonly used in Native American herbal remedies. Uses range from topical applications by the Cherokee and Iroquois, for helping with poison ivy symptoms or mosquito bites to infusions taken by the Iroquois to help induce childbirth, as well as reduce suffering during childbirth. It was also used by both the Ojibwa and the Omaha people as a juice or poultice to be rubbed on sores and eczema, as well as other rashes. These uses and more are well documented throughout various Native American tribes, but in spite of this, Impatiens pallida has never been characterized. Research in our group is focused on characterizing the chemical composition of this plant using phytochemical analyses through the following steps: first, the plant parts (leaves, stems, and roots) were ground up and extracted into their various solvents, including heptane, ethanol, dichloromethane, and 70:30 methanol:water. Next, the extracted fractions were examined under various instruments, including GC-MS and IR spectroscopy; a TLC was also performed on each of the samples. The data from the results of these experiments was then compiled in order to determine the presence and prevalence of various chemical components in Impatiens pallida. This is important because it can be used to indicate why this plant works the way it does, and potentially how it can be replicated for future use in medicines.

Phytochemical analysis of Impatiens pallida (Yellow Jewelweed)

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