Antimicrobial activity of the extracts and physalin D from Physalis alkekengi and evaluation of antioxidant potential of physalin D.

Physalis alkekengi L. (Solanaceae) is a popular plant in traditional European and Chinese folk medicine, and it has been reported to have many ethnopharmacological properties including antifungal, anti-cough, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and febricide activities. Some active components from Physalis species have been investigated. However, no antimicrobial activity studies on extracts and physalins of P. alkekengi have been carried out. In this study, we attempted to identify the possible antimicrobial activities of the methanol extract from aerial parts of P. alkekengi and the dichloromethane extract from calyces of the plant. The extracts were tested against five Gram-positive and five Gram-negative bacteria and five Candida species by using disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The extracts were fractionated to isolate physalins using chromatographic techniques, and physalin D was isolated from the extracts. The structure of the compound was elucidated on the basis of (1)H-NMR spectroscopic study, and confirmed by comparison with a reference sample and literature data. Results indicated that all the extracts and physalin D were characterized by antibacterial action, especially against Gram-positive bacteria, with MIC values between 32 and 128 microg/mL. The methanol extract had moderate activity against fungi at MICs ranging from 128 to 512 microg/mL, but the dichloromethane extract and physalin D had low activity against fungi at MICs ranging from 256 to 512 microg/mL. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of physalin D was evaluated by qualitative DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical and TBA (thiobarbituric acid) assays. Physalin D showed low antioxidant activity with an IC(50) value of >or= 10 +/- 2.1.

Effects of Nigella orientalis and N. segetalis fixed oils on blood biochemistry in rats.

Nigella orientalis and N. segetalis fixed oils were administered orally (1 mL/kg/day) to Wistar Kyoto rats for 4 weeks. The effects of the oils on biochemical parameters were compared with a control group that received distilled water under identical conditions. LDL-cholesterol level was decreased significantly in both oil groups while serum total cholesterol and VLDL-cholesterol were decreased significantly following administration of only N. orientalis fixed oil when compared with the control group. The HDL-cholesterol levels were increased significantly in both oil groups.N. orientalis fixed oil significantly reduced Aspartateaminotransferase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin and urea levels in rats. There was an increase in the albumin, uric acid and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) concentrations, while the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and RDW (red cell distribution width) levels decreased significantly. In N. segetalis fixed oil treated rats, the levels of ALP, Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), MCHC, RDW were decreased significantly, whereas a significant increase was found in albumin, fibrinogen, Hematocrit (HCT) and MCV levels. The effects of 4 weeks oral intake of N. orientalis and N. segetalis fixed oils on blood malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant status (TOS) were also investigated in rats. The study showed that the oils had no significant effect on MDA production. N. orientalis and N. segetalis fixed oils caused a significant increase in the total antioxidant status in rats.

Derivative ratio spectra-zero crossing spectrophotometry and LC method applied to the quantitative determination of paracetamol, propyphenazone and caffeine in ternary mixtures.

Two methods were used to determine paracetamol, caffeine and propyphenazon in ternary mixtures and tablets. Derivative ratio spectra-zero crossing procedure was based on the simultaneous use of the first derivative of ratio spectra and measurements of derivative ratio analytical signals corresponding to the zero crossing points of wavelengths. By using propyphenazon as a divisor, the amounts of paracetamol and caffeine in the ternary mixture were determined by measuring the first derivative ratio amplitudes at 242.8 nm (zero-crossing point for caffeine) and 251.2 and 273.8 nm (zero-crossing point for paracetamol) respectively. Also by using paracetamol as a divisor, the contents of propyhenazon and caffeine in the same ternary mixture were determined by measuring the first derivative ratio amplitudes at 244.8 and 276.9 nm (zero-crossing point for caffeine) and 250.6 and 274.0 nm (zero-crossing point for propyphenazon), respectively. For the HPLC procedure, a Nucleosil C18 column and a mobile phase consisted of water and methanol (20:80) were used to separate three compounds with cetrimide as an internal standard. The flow rate was 1.0-ml/min with an ultraviolet (UV) detection at 254 nm. Both methods were also applied to the determination of these three compounds in ternary mixtures and tablet formulation. The analytical results were quite good in all cases.

A new antibacterial diterpene from the roots of Salvia caespitosa.

From the roots of Saliva caespitosa Montbret and Aucher ex. Bentham a new diterpene 6beta-hydroxyisopimaric acid (1) has been isolated together with four known diterpenes, one new triterpenoid, 3-acetylvergatic acid (2), as well as five known triterpenoids, two steroids and a flavone. The structures of the compounds were established by spectroscopic analyses. The isolated compounds were tested against standard bacterial strains. Only the new diterpene, 6beta-hydroxyisopimaric acid has strong activity (MIC 9 microg/ml) against S. aureus and (MIC 18 microg/ml) against S. epidermidis as well as against B. subtilis (MIC 9 microg/ml).

A comparison of matrix resolution method, ratio spectra derivative spectrophotometry and HPLC method for the determination of thiamine HCl and pyridoxine HCl in pharmaceutical preparation.

A comparison of two spectrophotometric methods and a HPLC method were described in this work for the analysis of pyridoxine hydrochloride and thiamine hydrochloride in a vitamin combination. In the first method, A(1)1 (1%, 1 cm) values of these two compounds were calculated using absorbances measured at 246.8 and 290.5 nm in zero-order spectra. The matrix was written for A(1)1 (1%, 1 cm) values and the concentration of both compounds were determined using 'Matlab' software. In the second method, the measurements in the derivative of the ratio spectra were made at 297.8 and 309.5 nm for pyridoxine hydrochloride and at 245.6 and 257.7 nm for thiamine hydrochloride. The calibration graphs were established in the range 8-40 microg/ml of both vitamins. In the HPLC method, the separation of these compounds was realized on a Nucleosil 100-5 C18 column with 0.1 M (NH4)2C03-water methanol (5:15:80 v/v) as the mobile phase. Results of spectrophotometric and HPLC procedures were compared.

Constituents of Nepeta caesarea.

The acetone extract of Nepeta caesarea yielded four new nepetalic acid derivatives, 3'alpha-[beta-sitosteryl-3beta-oxy]dihydronepetalactone (1), 3'beta-[5alpha-stigmast-7-ene-3beta-oxy]dihydronepetalact one (2), 3'alpha-[olean-12-ene-28-oyl-3beta-oxy]dihydronepetalactone (3), and 3'alpha-[lup-20(29)-ene-28-ol-3beta-oxy]dihydronepetalactone (4). The structures were elucidated by NMR and MS techniques.

Simultaneous determination of pseudoephedrine sulfate, dexbrompheniramine maleate and loratadine in pharmaceutical preparations using derivative spectrophotometry and ratio spectra derivative spectrophotometry.

Two new spectrophotometric methods are described for the simultaneous analysis of pseudoephedrine sulfate-dexbrompheniramine maleate (DBP) and pseudoephedrine sulfate-loratadine combinations. In the first, derivative spectrophotometry, dA/dlambda values were read at zero-crossing points. In the second, ratio spectra derivative spectrophotometry, analytical signals were measured at the wavelengths corresponding to either maxima or minima for these drugs in the first derivative spectra of their ratio spectra. The procedures do not require any separation step. Mean recoveries were found to be >99% in the methods for these compounds in their synthetic mixtures. All the spectrophotometric methods proposed were compared with each other and HPLC which was also developed by us and applied to the pharmaceutical preparations selected.

Terpenoids from Salvia glutinosa.

A new steroidal compound 1-oxo-7 alpha-hydroxysitosterol was isolated from the whole plant of Salvia glutinosa in addition to 11 known triterpenoids and three steroids. The structures were established by spectral data. Cytotoxic activity of the new compound and 7 alpha-hydroxysitosterol were tested against P-388 and KB systems; only marginal activity was found.