ABSTRACT
Three phenolic compounds cosmosiin, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid were isolated for the first time from the leaves of Cupressus sempervirens L., together with cupressuflavone, amentoflavone, rutin, quercitrin, quercetin, myricitrin. The isolated compounds were identified using (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectra. The hepatoprotective activity of the MeOH extract was carried out in liver homogenate of normal and CCl(4)-treated rats; a significant decrease in glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, cholesterol level, and triglycerides, while a significant increase in the total protein level, was observed after the oral administration of MeOH extract. The free radical scavenging activity against stable 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH*) was measured for MeOH extract and some of the isolated phenolic compounds in comparison with alpha-tocopherol and butylated hydroxy toluene as standard antioxidants using ESR technique, showed high antioxidant activity for quercetin, rutin, caffeic acid, and p-coumaric acid.
Subject(s)
Cupressus , Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology , Liver/drug effects , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Protective Agents/pharmacology , Animals , Biphenyl Compounds , Carbon Tetrachloride , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/etiology , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/prevention & control , Female , Free Radical Scavengers/administration & dosage , Free Radical Scavengers/chemistry , Free Radical Scavengers/therapeutic use , Liver/enzymology , Picrates/chemistry , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Extracts/therapeutic use , Plant Leaves , Protective Agents/administration & dosage , Protective Agents/chemistry , Protective Agents/therapeutic use , RatsABSTRACT
A collection of 32 botanically identified medicinal plants from the slopes of Mt. Cameroon made by two Swedish settlers in the beginning of the last century is described and the literature is followed up. The drug names were found to be unaltered during the century passed.
Subject(s)
Plants, Medicinal , Cameroon , SwedenABSTRACT
Crude petroleum ether extract from the bark of Poulsenia armata showed antimicrobial activity. Activity-guided fractionation led to the isolation and structure elucidation of two active new triterpene derivatives, the stearate of glut-5-en-3beta-ol (1) and 3beta,28-diacetoxyurs-12-ene (4), for the first time as naturally occurring compounds. Compound 4 has previously been synthesized. The structures were determined by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and chemical transformations. This is the first report on the chemistry and pharmacology of the genus.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/isolation & purification , Moraceae/chemistry , Triterpenes/isolation & purification , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Triterpenes/chemistry , Triterpenes/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Investigation of the aerial parts of the medicinal plant Hypericum laricifolium led to the isolation of two new natural products, hentriacontanyl caffeate (1a), nonacosanyl caffeate (1b). In addition, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, 3-epi-betulinic acid (2), caffeic acid (3), ferulic acid, docosanol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4-dimethoxy benzoic acid, quercetin (4), quercetin-3-O-galactoside (5), quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (6), quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside (7), quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (8) and shikimic acid were also isolated. The structures were determined by 1D- and 2D-NMR, mass spectrometry, and chemical transformations. The anti-inflammatory effects of the isolated compounds were discussed briefly.
