Preliminary studies of acute and sub-chronic toxicity of the aqueous extract of Guibourtia tessmannii (Harms) J. Leonard stem barks (Caesalpiniaceae) in mice and rats

Objective: To investigate the toxicity of aqueous extract of Guibourtia tessmannii (Harms) J. Leonard (G. tessmannii) and evaluate its safety. Methods: NMRI mice were used to determine the acute toxicity of G. tessmannii. Increasing concentrations of the plant extracts were administered intraperitoneally or by force-feeding. General behavior and death were monitored and recorded daily for 7 days. In order to determine the sub-acute toxicity of the extract, several doses were administered by oral gavage daily for 28 days in adult Wistar rats. Different parameters were assessed including body weight, food and water intake, biochemical parameters and several vital organ weights. Results: LD

Preliminary studies of acute and sub-chronic toxicity of the aqueous extract of Guibourtia tessmannii (Harms) J. Leonard stem barks (Caesalpiniaceae) in mice and rats

Objective: To investigate the toxicity of aqueous extract of Guibourtia tessmannii (Harms) J. Leonard (G. tessmannii) and evaluate its safety. Methods: NMRI mice were used to determine the acute toxicity of G. tessmannii. Increasing concentrations of the plant extracts were administered intraperitoneally or by force-feeding. General behavior and death were monitored and recorded daily for 7 days. In order to determine the sub-acute toxicity of the extract, several doses were adminis-tered by oral gavage daily for 28 days in adult Wistar rats. Different parameters were assessed including body weight, food and water intake, biochemical parameters and several vital organ weights. Results: LD50 of 328.78 mg/kg was obtained by i.p. route and more than 5 000 mg/kg was obtained in acute toxicity by oral route. In sub-acute toxicity, no significant alteration was observed in body weight or vital organs, food and water intake, and biochemical parameters. Conclusions: The results showed that the aqueous extract of G. tessmannii has low toxicity intraperitoneally and no sub-acute toxicity via oral intake.

Analysis on fingerprint for root barks and stem barks of Toddalia asiatica / 中草药

Objective: To promote the comprehensive utilization in the root barks and stem barks of Toddalia asiatica and to establish an HPLC method for the determination of the fingerprints for the root barks and stem barks of T. asiatica. Meanwhile, the similarity was compared by similarity evaluation software based on the fingerprints. Methods: HPLC analysis was performed on C18 (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with acetonitrile and 0.1% aqueous solution of phosphoric acid as mobile phase in gradient mode at the wavelength of 269 nm, and the flow rate was 1 mL/min. The similarity was calculated by comparison on the fingerprints derived from 10 bathes of T. asiatica root barks and 10 bathes of T. asiatica stem barks, all the samples were collected from the different areas in different seasons. Results: The mutualmode of HPLC fingerprints was set up and the similar degrees to the crude drugs of different sources were compared. The content ratio of active ingredients is different from samples in different areas and seasons. Conclusion: The fingerprint similarity is greater than 0.9 between T. asiatica root barks and T. asiatica stem barks, so the compositions are highly similar.

Depositional characteristics of atmospheric polybrominated diphenyl ethers on tree barks

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the depositional characteristics of several tree barks, including Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), Pine (Pinus densiflora), Platanus (Platanus), and Metasequoia (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). These were used as passive air sampler (PAS) of atmospheric polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). METHODS: Tree barks were sampled from the same site. PBDEs were analyzed by highresolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometer, and the lipid content was measured using the gravimetric method by n-hexane extraction. RESULTS: Gingko contained the highest lipid content (7.82 mg/g dry), whereas pine (4.85 mg/g dry), Platanus (3.61 mg/g dry), and Metasequoia (0.97 mg/g dry) had relatively lower content. The highest total PBDEs concentration was observed in Metasequoia (83,159.0 pg/g dry), followed by Ginkgo (53,538.4 pg/g dry), Pine (20,266.4 pg/g dry), and Platanus (12,572.0 pg/g dry). There were poor correlations between lipid content and total PBDE concentrations in tree barks (R2=0.1011, p =0.682). Among the PBDE congeners, BDE 206, 207 and 209 were highly brominated PBDEs that are sorbed to particulates in ambient air, which accounted for 90.5% (84.3-95.6%) of the concentration and were therefore identified as the main PBDE congener. The concentrations of particulate PBDEs deposited on tree barks were dependent on morphological characteristics such as surface area or roughness of barks. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, when using the tree barks as the PAS of the atmospheric PBDEs, samples belonging to same tree species should be collected to reduce errors and to obtain reliable data.

Chemical constituents in root barks of Lycium chinense / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from the root barks of Lycium chinense. Methods: The chemical constituents of EtOAc fraction from 95% ethanol extract of L. chinense were isolated and purified by chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and ODS. Their chemical structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data. Results: Twelve compounds were isolated and identified as N-trans-coumaroyltyramine (1), N-trans-feruloyltyramine (2), dihydro-N-caffeoyltyramine (3), apigenin (4), ferulic acid (5), p-hydroxycinnamic acid (6), 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-propanone (7), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzenepropionic acid (8), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzenepropionic acid methyl ester (9), p-hydroxy-benzoic acid (10), 4-methoxy salicylic acid (11), and nicotinic acid (12). Conclusion: Compounds 8 and 9 are two new natural products, and compounds 1, 6, 11, and 12 are obtained from this plant for the first time.

Accumulation of main alkaloids composition in growth process of different parts of Phellodendron chinense / 中草药

Objective: To analyze the content variation of phellodendrine and berberine from Phellodendron chinense in different years, different seasons, and different parts, and to provide the basis for increasing the planting benefit of Chinese herbal medicine. Methods: High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis method was used to determine the contents. Results: The contents of phellodendrine and berberine from different parts of P. chinense showed as the following order: root barks > barks > roots. The contents of the two kinds of alkaloids changed each year. In first three years, the content change trend was obvious, and the content in barks was close to 5% in the third year. The young P. chinense had development value. After the third year, the contents of the two kinds of alkaloids changed slowly. The contents of phellodendrine and berberine in October were higher. Conclusion: The metabolic accumulation rules of berberine and phellodendrine are summarized, in order to provide the basis for the sustainable utilization of P. chinensis resources.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activity of ethanolic extracts of Desmodium pulchellum Benth. (Fabaceae) barks on albino wistar rats.

Effects of ethanolic extract of Desmodium pulchellum Benth. (Fabaceae) barks on alloxan-induced diabetic rats were investigated. In diabetic rats, blood glucose levels were reduced by 18.64 – 34.04 % on consumption of the extracts, with greater effect exhibited by the 1000mg/kg extract whereas in Glibenclamide treated diabetic rats, blood glucose levels were reduced upto 73.55%. The results suggested ethanolic extract of barks may contribute to the reduction of blood glucose levels and can be useful in the management of diabetes. The acute oral toxicity showed that the ethanolic extract of D. pulchellum barks was safe until 4000mg/kg body weight and no macroscopical organ abnormalities were observed in acute oral models. The investigations on Albino (Wistar) rats at dosage of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of D. pulchellum barks were made for anitiinflammatory action by using carrageenan induced paw edema and cotton pellete granuloma technique. The results of the study suggested significant dose dependent activity of extracts as compared to control group for both acute and chronic inflammation.

Chemical constituents from root barks of Ginkgo biloba (I) / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from the root barks of Ginkgo biloba. Methods: The constituents were isolated by column chromatography and their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analyses. Results: Thirteen compounds were isolated including four fatty acids, palmitinic acid (1), stearic acid (2), behenic acid (3), and lignoceric acid (4); one fatty alcohol, 1-heptacosanol (5); two sterides, β-sitosterol (6) and daucosterol (7); two flavonoids, genkwanin (8) and apigenin (9); and four ginkgolides, bilobalide (10), ginkgolide A (11), ginkgolide B (12), and ginkgolide C (13). Conclusion: Among them, compounds 3-5 are isolated from this plant for the first time. The results are helpful for the comprehensive utilization of the resources of the root barks of G. biloba.

Anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activity of ethanolic extracts of Sterculia villosa barks on Albino Wistar rats.

Ethanolic extract of Sterculia villosa barks were studied for anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activity. The acute oral toxicity showed that the ethanolic extract of S. villosa barks was safe until 4000mg/kg body weight and no macroscopical organ abnormalities were observed in acute oral models. The investigations on Albino (Wistar) rats at dosage of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of Sterculia villosa barks were made for aniti-inflammatory action by using carrageenan induced paw edema and cotton pellete granuloma technique. The results of the study suggested significant dose dependent activity of extracts as compared to control group for both acute and chronic inflammation. Ethanolic extract also showed significant antidiabetic activity at dose dependent manner compared to diabetic untreated group.