Investigations on the glucosinolates of lepidium sativum growing in Egypt and their biological activity

Fractionation of the glucosinolate contents of both the seeds and fresh herb of Lepidium sativum growing in Egypt were carried out. The study of the glucosinolate contents of L. sativum seeds revealed the isolation and identification of glucotropaeolin and 2- Phenyl ethyl glucosinolate while the study of glucosinolate contents of the fresh herb revealed the presence of 2- ethyl butyl glucosinolate, methyl glucosinolate, butyl glucosinolate and glucotropaeolin. The identification of the isolated glucosinolates were substantiated through using different chemical methods [enzymatic hydrolysis] and spectroscopic determinations [UV, MS and GC-MS for the corresponding isothiocyanates]. Acute toxicity studies of pet ether and alcoholic extracts of aerial parts of the plant showed that the alcoholic extract is more safe than that of pet ether extract and both extracts have a hepatoprotective activity on liver at the same concentration [50 micro g/ml]. The different extracts of the seeds and herbs of Lepidium sativum showed a potent effect against the White fly [Bemisia tabaci]. The total glucosinolate and in particular glucotropaeolin showed significant activity against the pest, which gave a highest mortality percentage on the adult stage

Phytochemical and bioactivity investigation of chrysanthemum coronarium [var. discolor] durv growing in Egypt

The unsaponifiable fraction afforded by the pet. ether extract of the aerial parts of Chrysanthemum coronarium [var. discolor] was analysed by GLC. A series of hydrocarbons ranging from C[13]-C[29] in addition to cholesterol, stigmasterol and the triterpenoids alpha-amyrin and Beta-amyrin were identified. The GLC analysis of the fatty alcohol fraction revealed presence of 9 waxy alcohols, also analysis of the fatty acid fraction revealed the presence of 14 fatty acids in which. linolenic acid represent the main component [19.42%]. The flavonoid constituents isolated from the flowers and leaves were identified as quercetin, luteolin-4'-methyl ether, quercetin-3-O-rhamnosyl from the flowers and luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucuronide,quercetin-7-O-glucoside and quercetin -3-O-rhamnogalactoside from the leaves . Their identity was proved by m.p, TLC, PC, UV, [1]H-NMR and MS analysis. GLC analysis of the volatile oil of Chrysanthemunt coronarium [Var. discolor] allowed the identification of 27 compounds which represent [79.5%] of the oil. The oil is characterized by a high content of monoterpene hydrocarbons, among which are limonene [19.3%] and alpha-pinene [11.14%] were the major compounds. Sesquiterpene compounds, either hydrocarbons or oxygenated, were detected as minor or trace amount. The ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts showed a strong antioxidant activity, using DPPH, while the volatile oil showed moderate activity, also the flavonoidal compounds isolated from the plant showed significant antioxidant activity compared to Trolox [standard antioxidant compound]. The different extracts and the isolated compounds of the plant exhibited no cytotoxic activity against Ehrlich-ascites carcinoma cell line, while the volatile oil which showed moderate activity

Flavonoids of Gomphocarpus sinaicus

The aerial parts of Gomphocarputs sinaicus Boiss. yielded four flavonoids that were identified as isorhamnetin 3-O-rhamnoglucoside [1], luteolin-7-O-glucoside-3'-O-rhamnoside [2], rutin [3] and rutin-7-O-rhamnoside [4]. All of the isolated flavonoids were identified by spectroscopic methods [UV, FAB-MS, [1]H-NMR and [13]C-NMR] and in comparison with the literature data. The isolated flavonoids [1], [2] and [4] are reported here for the first time from Gomphocarpus sinaicus Boiss