ISOLATION OF NOVEL PARA-PENTYL PHENYL BENZOATE FROM MONDIA WHITEI. (HOOK.F.) SKEELS (PERIPLOCACEAE), ITS STRUCTURE, SYNTHESIS AND NEUROPHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION.

BACKGROUND: Mondia whitei L. (Hook. F.) Skeels (Periplocaceae) is a medicinal plant used locally in managing pain, fever, loss of appetite and as aphrodiasc in the South-Western states of Nigeria. However, the fruit is consumed habitually in the South-Eastern states of Nigeria, leading to speculation that it may possess some central nervous system effect but which has not been scientifically investigated, hence this study. METHODOLOGY: Fresh fruits of Mondia whitei were collected and identified by a taxonomist. They were chopped into small pieces and extracted with absolute ethanol. The crude extract was subjected to various chromatographic techniques to isolate a novel compound whose structure was elucidated from the analysis of the crystal data and by extensive use of spectroscopy. The structure was confirmed by synthesis. The compound was subjected to anxiolytic and sedative activity assay. Computational analysis of the receptor binding event of isolated compound at the gamma amino butyric acid A receptor was also evaluated. RESULTS: The structure of the compound was elucidated as para pentyl phenyl benzoate. The neuropharmacological evaluation of the compound indicated significant (p<0.05) depression of the central nervous system. The binding characteristics of the compound to gamma amino butyric acid A receptors appears to be more favorable than those obtained for gamma amino butyric acid, chlorpromazine, benzamidine, and is comparable with the affinity obtained for pentobarbitone and diazepam. CONCLUSION: These present data provide evidence for the role of para pentyl phenyl benzoate in the habitual consumption of the fruit as well as its central nervous system activities.

Fatal Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli sepsis following urea-instillation abortion.

Intraamniotic instillation of urea is a common mode of legal second-trimester pregnancy termination. Associated mortality rarely occurs and is most commonly due to amniotic fluid embolism, pulmonary thromboembolism, infection, hemorrhage, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). We present the case of an 18-year-old gravida 2, para 1 white woman at 18 weeks' gestation who underwent intraamniotic instillation of hyperosmolar urea and intracervical insertion of laminaria tents; 19 h later, she became unresponsive, academic, and went into shock. Coagulation studies were diagnostic of DIC. Bacilli were seen on peripheral blood smear. Autopsy showed marked subcutaneous emphysema of the anterior abdominal wall, necrosis and emphysema of the uterus, diffuse pulmonary alveolar damage, and renal cortical necrosis. Antemortem blood cultures grew Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli. Postmortem culture of the uterus grew E. coli. The source of infection was most likely the introduction of vaginal organisms via laminaria insertion. This is apparently the first reported case of death caused by Clostridium perfringens and E. coli sepsis following urea instillation.