In vitro antimalarial activity of extracts of three plants used in the traditional medicine of India. (1/18)

In an attempt to search for new antimalarial drugs, we studied plants used by traditional healers of southwest India to treat malaria. Aqueous and organic solvent extracts obtained from specific parts of the plants Swertia chirata, Carica papaya, and Citrus sinensis were tested on malaria strain Plasmodium falciparum FCK 2 in vitro. The temperatures of extraction were the same as that used by the traditional healers in their plant preparations. Visual evaluation of the antimalarial activity of the plant extracts on thin blood smears was followed by quantification of the activity by use of [35S]-methionine incorporation into parasite proteins to determine the value that inhibits 50% (IC50). Among the 3 plants tested, 2 had significant inhibitory effect on P. falciparum in vitro.  (+info)

Analysis of swertiamarin in Swertia herb and preparations containing this crude drug by capillary electrophoresis. (2/18)

Swertia herb (florescent whole plantof Swertia japonica, Gentianaceae) has long been utilized as a folk medicine in Japan. It is often blended in general gastroenteric drugs as a bitter stomachic. Swertiamarin, a bitter secoiridoid glycoside, is the representative constituent of this crude drug and Swertia herb is normally evaluated by the swertiamarin content. To date, papers have described the discrimination of Swertia herbs from other bitter crude drugs, estimation of swertiamarin and seasonal variation in swertiamarin content using thin-layer chromatography, while other papers have reported quantitative determination of swertiamarin using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In our previous papers, we reported analyses of the constituents of some crude drugs using capillary electrophoresis (CE). To aid in the evaluation of crude drugs, we succeeded in our attempt to separate and determine the quantity of swertiamarin in Swertia herb. Subsequently, we applied the same analytical condition to estimate the swertiamarin contents in Japanese pharmacopoeia stomachic preparations, in OTC gastroenteric drugs and in OTC hair tonics containing Swertia herb.  (+info)

Protective effects of xanthones against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. (3/18)

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of xanthones against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. METHODS: Ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by 20 min of global ischemia and 40 min of reperfusion in isolated rat hearts or 60-min coronary artery occlusion and 180-min reperfusion in vivo, respectively. Heart rate, coronary flow, left ventricular pressure (LVP), and its first derivative (+/- dp/dtmax) were recorded, and the activity of creatine kinase in coronary effluent and malondialdehyde contents in myocardial tissues were measured in vitro. The activity of serum creatine kinase and myocardium infarct size were measured in vivo. RESULTS: Xanthones (90 or 300 microg/L) caused a significant improvement of cardiac function (LVP and +/- dp/dtmax) and a decrease in the release of creatine kinase in coronary effluent as well as the level of malondialdehyde in myocardial tissues. Xanthones (0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg) also markedly decreased infarct size and the release of creatine kinase in vivo. CONCLUSION: Xanthones protect the myocardium against the damages induced by ischemia-reperfusion in rats, and the effect of xanthones may be related to the inhibition of lipid peroxidation.  (+info)

Morphological and ultrastructural diversity of orbicules in Gentianaceae. (4/18)

Minute granules of sporopollenin, called orbicules, can be observed on the innermost tangential and/or radial walls of secretory tapetum cells. Orbicules were investigated in 53 species of 34 Gentianaceae genera using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. This selection covered all different tribes and subtribes recognized in Gentianaceae (87 genera, +/-1650 species). Orbicules were found in 38 species (23 genera) distributed among the six tribes recognized in Gentianaceae. The orbicule typology is based on those described previously in Rubiaceae. Of the six orbicule types described previously, Type II orbicules are lacking. Type III orbicules are most common (17 species). Hockinia Gardner is the only representative with Type I orbicules. The number of representatives with orbicules belonging to the other orbicule types are equally distributed among the species studied: seven species possess Type IV orbicules, six species Type V and six species Type VI. The systematic usefulness of this typology is discussed in comparison with the latest systematic insights within the family, and palynological trends in Gentianaceae. Orbicule data have proven to be useful for evaluating tribal delimitation within Rubiaceae and Loganiaceae s.l.; however, they seem not to be useful for tribal delimitation in Gentianaceae. In the tribes Potalieae and Gentianeae orbicule data may be useful at subtribal level.  (+info)

Studies on the constituents of Swertia japonica MAKINO I. On the structures of new secoiridoid diglycosides. (5/18)

Eight new secoiridoid diglycosides, 6'-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosylswertiamarin (1), 3'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylswertiamarin (2), 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylswertiamarin (3), 3'-O-beta-D-galactopyranosylswertiamarin (4), 6'-O-alpha-D-galactopyranosylswertiamarin (5), 6'-O-alpha-D-mannopyranosylswertiamarin (6), 6'-O-beta-D-fructofuranosylswertiamarin (7) and 5''-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylamaroswerin (12), were isolated, together with five known compounds from the whole plants of Swertia japonica MAKINO. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Compounds 6 and 7 are the first naturally occuring iridoid diglycosides having an alpha-D-mannopyranosyl unit and beta-D-fructofuranosyl unit, respectively.  (+info)

Studies on the constituents of Swertia japonica Makino II. On the structures of new glycosides. (6/18)

Two new secoiridoid glycosides, swertiajaposide A (1) and swertiajaposide B (2), a new unsaturated alco-hol glycoside, 3-butenyl 6'-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), and a new lignan glycoside, 7R,7'R,8S,8'S-(+)-neo-olivil-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), were isolated together with six known compounds from the whole plants of Swertia japonica Makino. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence.  (+info)

Hepatoprotective activity of the constituents in Swertia pseudochinensis. (7/18)

A new xanthone derivative was isolated together with other 13 known constituents from a Chinese natural medicine, Swertia pseudochinensis HARA. Their structures were determined based on the spectral and chemical evidences. Furthermore, respective hexane, ethyl acetate, 1-BuOH, MeOH and water extracts of S. pseudochinensis, and purified compounds were respectively evaluated for their hepatoprotective activities against hepatocyte injury induced by CCl4. All the extracts and isolated compounds exhibited significant hepatoprotective activities at a dose showing no hepatoxicity.  (+info)

Two new iridoid glycosides from the Tibetan folk medicine Swertia franchetiana. (8/18)

Two new iridoid glycosides designated as senburiside III (2) and senburiside IV (3), together with one known iridoid glycoside senburiside I (1) and three known secoiridoid glucosides swertiamarin (4), gentiopicroside (5) and sweroside (6), were isolated from the whole plant of Swertia franchetiana. The structures of the two new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods.  (+info)

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