Discussion on medicinal value of Saposhnikoviae Radix based on difference of ketone content in cortex and wood of Saposhnikoviae Radix / 中国中药杂志

In order to confirm the tradition that bolting Saposhnikoviae Radix could not be used as medicine,the content of four chromone components in the cortex and wood of Saposhnikoviae Radix was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography( HPLC),and the chemical fingerprints were established,12 common peaks were calibrated. The similarity analysis found that the similarity between batches was 0. 115-0. 995,it indicates that the cortex and wood of Saposhnikoviae Radix have certain differences. On this basis,systematic clustering analysis,principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis were carried out with the content of four chromone components and whether they met the pharmacopoeia criteria as the original variables. The results showed that the content of the four components in the cortex of Saposhnikoviae Radix was much higher than that in the wood,and the four components detected were able to distinguish the cortex and the wood of Saposhnikoviae Radix. The results of the study reveal the tradition that bolting Saposhnikoviae Radix should not be used as medicine dut to decreased quality.

Volatile composition of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) commercial teas through solid phase extraction

Volatiles from aqueous extract of peppermint commercial sachets were investigated through gas chromatography/flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and GC/mass spectrometry (MS). Samples were prepared under similar conditions as in homemade tea. Volatiles were isolated using solid phase extraction method (SPE) with Porapak Q trap followed by desorption with acetone. Estimated mean values for short and medium chain carboxylic acids (C2- C12) and ketones lay in the range of 50-64 μg kg-1 whilst aliphatic alcohols and acyclic hydrocarbons had values lower than 6 μg kg-1. The major volatiles were terpenes (275-382 μg kg-1) that reached 89 % of the total composition. A total of 16 compounds, among them dodecane, acetoin, acetol, citral, geraniol and octanoic acid have been described by the first time in peppermint tea. These findings could be attributed to the different analytical approach employed, mainly to the use of different extraction/pre-concentration techniques. Given the apparently lower proportion of terpenes in the aqueous extract it may be that the chemical properties of the peppermint essential oil are not entirely reproduced with homemade tea.

Estudo da composição da fração volátil do extrato aquoso de sachês de hortelã pimenta (Mentha piperita L.) através da extração em fase sólida. O princípio desse trabalho foi investigar a fração volátil do extrato aquoso de sachês comerciais de hortelã pimenta usando cromatografia gasosa com detectores de ionização em chama e de massas. As amostras foram preparadas em condições similares às usadas para o preparo do chá caseiro. Os compostos voláteis foram isolados via método de extração em fase sólida com adsorvente Porapak Q e eluídos com acetona. Uma estimativa dos valores médios dos ácidos carboxílicos de cadeias média e curta ficou na faixa de 50-64 μg kg-1, enquanto alcoóis alifáticos e hidrocarbonetos acíclicos tiveram valores menores do que 6 μg kg-1. Os terpenos (275-382 μg kg-1) foram os compostos majoritários alcançando 89 % dos sólidos totais. Um total de 16 compostos voláteis, entre eles, dodecano, acetoína, acetol, citral, geraniol e ácido octanóico foram descritos pela primeira vez no chá de hortelã pimenta. Esses resultados poderiam ser atribuídos aos diferentes métodos analíticos empregados, principalmente devido ao uso de diferentes técnicas de extração e pré-concentração. Em função da proporção menor de terpenos no extrato aquoso é razoável especular que as propriedades químicas do óleo essencial da hortelã pimenta não sejam totalmente reproduzidas com o consumo do chá caseiro.

Diabetic ketoacidosis in a hospital based population in Pakistan

Sixty-two consecutive episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis [DKA] were studied at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Forty-four [71%] were type I and 18 [29%] type II diabetics. Mean age was 28.1 years and mean duration of diabetes 4.1 years. Infections were the most common precipitating factor accounting for 28 episodes [45.2%]. Twenty-two patients [35.5%] had hyperosmolality [serum osmolality > 320 mosmol/L]. Mean serum Na[+] was 131.7 mmol/L and K[+] 4.6 mmol/L. Twenty-three [37.1%] were hyperkalemic at presentation with seven patients [11.3%] being comatosed and 35 [56.5%] alert. Mean random blood glucose [RBG] was 624 mg/dl, mean pH 7.09, osmolality 316 mosmol/L and the neurological status correlated statistically significantly with mean RBG, pH and osmolality. A leukemoid response was seen in 83.9% episodes. Mortality rate was 8.0% in patients with DKA managed in this hospital

Stereochemistry of the reaction of 2,3-dibromo-ketones with phenoxide ion in DMF

The reaction of a series of erythro-2,3-dibromo-1,3-arylpropanones l[a-K] with sodium phenoxide in dimethyl-formamide [DMF] was investigated. 3-Phenoxy-l,3-diaryl-propenones 2[a-k] were obtained as a mixture of E- and Z/isomer and their configuration were established by spectral studies. A stepwise mechanism is postulated for this reaction proceeds via an intermediate carbanions