Nucleo-cytoplasmic incompatibility in cybrid plants possessing an Atropa genome and a Nicotiana plastome.

Twenty-nine cybrids possessing an Atropa belladonna nuclear genome and a Nicotiana tabacum plastome were selected from two independent protoplast fusion experiments. In contrast to the previously described reciprocal, green and fertile cybrids with a Nicotiana nuclear genome and an Atropa plastome (Kushnir et al. 1987), the plants obtained were totally chlorophyll-deficient. An Atropa nuclear genome and a Nicotiana plastome from these chlorophyll-deficient cybrids were combined with an Atropa or a Scopolia plastome and a Nicotiana nuclear genome, respectively, in control fusion experiments. All of these nuclear genome/plastome combinations gave rise to normal, green plants. Therefore, we conclude that an N. tabacum plastome is incompatible with an A. belladonna nuclear genome.

[Construction and application of atropine flow-through sensor in flow injection analysis].

A new kind of flow-through sensor for atropine has been studied. It exhibits Nernstian response for atropine with a slope of 54 +/- 1 mV/decade over the concentration range of 0.02-200 mmol/L at pH 5-8. The sensitivity coefficients of common compounds were determined. Only bromo-geramine, clonidine, strychnine and amantadine showed remarkable interference. Direct potentiometry for determination of atropine showed an average recovery of 99.2% and a relative standard deviation of 1.3%. It has been used in flow injection analysis (FIA) of atropine, anisodamine and scopolamine and belladonna preparations. Rate of analysis of as high as 60-100 samples/h was achieved.

Controle de qualidade de tinturas-mae homeopaticas - ensaios cromatograficos / Quality control of homeopathic mother-tinctures - assays in thin layer chromatography

Os autores desenvolveram perfis cromatograficos de tinturas-mae de dez medicamentos homeopaticos de origem vegetal, comparando o resultado entre cinco laboratorios nacionais e as tinturas procedentes dos laboratorios Boiron (Franca), Nelsons (Inglaterra) e Willmar Schwabe (Alemanha). Foram observadas importantes diferencas na composicao quimica das tinturas de varios medicamentos entre os laboratorios produtores. Os autores propoem uma padronizacao do controle de qualidade das tinturas atraves do uso de cromatogramas ou capilogramas de referencia

Antineoplastic agents, 99. Amaryllis belladonna.

Amaryllis belladonna bulbs were examined for constituents inhibitory against the murine P-388 lymphocytic leukemia (PS system). Two in vitro active alkaloids, acetylcaranine (2; 9PS ED50 0.23 microgram/ml) and ambelline (3; 9PS ED50 1.6 micrograms/ml), were isolated accompanied by undulatine. However, the non-chiral anhydrolycorinium chloride (5) was found to be the principal antineoplastic (3 PS, 64-69% life extension at dose levels 10 to 20 mg/kg in vivo, ED50 1.4 micrograms/ml in vitro) component. Quaternary chloride 5 has not been located previously among plant or animal biosynthetic products.

[The alkaloids of several varieties of Atropa belladonna L: distribution and metabolism]. / Sur les alcaloïdes d'Atropa belladonna L. et ses variétés: répartition et métabolisme

Distribution and content of alkaloids have been studied in each organ of different Atropa Belladonna varieties. Same tropeins are present in every organ. Their increase, baucoup of hyoscyamin, is observed during plant growth; and in later stages some compounds such as apoatropin appear.

Quantitative determination of alkaloids in belladonna tincture USP.

A simplified method for the quantitative analysis of hyoscyamine hydrobromide or atropine in Belladonna Tincture USP is described. The procedure is based on the formation of an alkaloid-dye complex which can be extracted with an organic solvent and measured spectrophotometrically. The results obtained by this method compare favorably with those obtained by the USP method.