ABSTRACT
A defatted extract of Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula root bark (PRB) in 50% methanol showed a significant ability to reduce blood pressure. It caused a 22% and 47% fall in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) in rats at doses of 3 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg, respectively. Compounds purified from this extract include kolavenic acid (3), clerodane (1) and its isomer (2), liriodenine (4), lysicamine (5) and bisclerodane imide (6) and its isomer (7). Of these, only kolavenic acid produced a 22% fall in MABP, at a dose of 30 mg/kg. PRB showed a decrease in blood pressure of normotensive and egg yolk induced hypertensive rats. The LD50 of PRB was determined as 100 mg/kg in mice.
Subject(s)
Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology , Blood Pressure/drug effects , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Polyalthia , Administration, Oral , Animals , Antihypertensive Agents/administration & dosage , Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Egg Yolk , Hypertension/drug therapy , In Vitro Techniques , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred Strains , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Plant Roots , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
A methanol extract of Melia azedarach flowers showed potent antibacterial action in rabbits suffering from a skin infection produced by Stapyhlococcus aureus. The healing effects were found comparable to neomycin.
