Schistosoma mansoni: cercaricidal effects of cedarwood oil and various of its components.

Cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni exposed to cedarwood oil show early phases of the penetration response before they succumb to the toxic effects of the oil. The toxic effect is also seen when cercariae are exposed to certain components of the oil followed by exposure to a known penetration stimulant, linolenic acid, which accelerates the inactivation of the organism. It is postulated that the process of penetration which results in the disruption of the cercarial glycocalyx alters physiological processes related to osmoregulation. This may increase the absorption of the toxic substances in cedarwood oil by the organisms.

Inactivation of enveloped viruses by anthraquinones extracted from plants.

To determine the extent of antiviral activity present in a number of plant extracts, hot glycerin extracts were prepared from Rheum officinale, Aloe barbadensis, Rhamnus frangula, Rhamnus purshianus, and Cassia angustifolia and their virucidal effects were tested against herpes simplex virus type 1. All the plant extracts inactivated the virus. The active components in these plants were separated by thin-layer chromatography and identified as anthraquinones. A purified sample of aloe emodin was prepared from aloin, and its effects on the infectivity of herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2, varicella-zoster virus, pseudorabies virus, influenza virus, adenovirus, and rhinovirus were tested by mixing virus with dilutions of aloe emodin for 15 min at 37 degrees C, immediately diluting the sample, and assaying the amount of infectious virus remaining in the sample. The results showed that aloe emodin inactivated all of the viruses tested except adenovirus and rhinovirus. Electron microscopic examination of anthraquinone-treated herpes simplex virus demonstrated that the envelopes were partially disrupted. These results show that anthraquinones extracted from a variety of plants are directly virucidal to enveloped viruses.

A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method for the determination of the cis/trans isomeric content of chlorprothixene.

Proton NMR spectroscopy was applied to the assignment of the isomeric identity of commercially available chlorprothixene. Nuclear Overhauser effect studies confirmed that the clinically useful isomer is the cis (Z) configuration. An NMR method for determining the isomeric content of chlorprothixene was developed based on integration of the ratio of areas of signal strength of the cis-N-methyl in comparison to the trans-N-methyl resonances.

Flavonoids with anti-cataract activity from Brickellia arguta.

Six flavonoids were isolated from Brickellia arguta and identified using chemical and spectral methods. The isolation and spectral data of a new flavonoid, 6- methoxykaempferol 3-O-beta-D- robinobioside (3), are reported for the first time. Three of these flavonoids were tested and showed inhibition of rat lens aldose reductase.

Phytochemical investigation of xanthones of Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners.

Six polyoxygenated xanthones were isolated from the roots of Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinners collected in Texas. Structural elucidation of five of these xanthones (1-hydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,5,6,7-tetramethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,5,6,7,8-pentamethoxyxanthone, and 1-hydroxy-3,7,8-trimethoxyxanthone) was accomplished via UV, IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry; traditional physical-chemical methods; or direct comparison with a prepared derivative. The sixth xanthone derivative was characterized incompletely. The pentamethoxyxanthone is a new compound and has been designated generically as eustomin. The probable occurrence of these six xanthone compounds in the plant as glycosides is reported.