Lloydia最新文献

Extracts prepared from 100 samples of higher plants were evaluated for antiviral activity against several viruses, including Semliki forest, coxsackie, measles, poliomyelitis, herpes, and adeno viruses. The plants were chosen from 73 genera and 43 families on the basis of literature data and medicinal reports on antimicrobial activity. The results of the antiviral testing showed that eight of these extracts exhibited a pronounced activity against one or more of the test viruses. Another three plant extracts showed a moderate level of antiviral activity against some of the test viruses.

Shikimic acid, reported to cause tumors in mice, and its close structural analog, quinic acid, both ubiquitous constituents of higher plants, were found not be be mutagenic in the Ames assay when tested with and without the rat liver microsomal activation system.

Two samples of catnip oil were analyzed by tic, gc, and hplc; the results indicated the presence of 23 components. Fractionation of the commercial sample of catnip oil by either distillation or gc yielded 40% nepetalactone and 43% nepetalic acid. Catnip oil, nepetalic acid, and a nepetalactone-enriched fraction were evaluated for toxicological and behavioral effects in mice and rats. The LD50 of catnip oil, the nepetalactone-enriched fraction, and nepetalic acid were found in mice to be: 1300 mg/kg, 1550 mg/kg and 1050 mg/kg, respectively. Catnip oil (500 mg/kg) and nepetalic acid (62.5 mg/kg) were found to significantly increase hexobarbital sleeping time in mice. Rats trained on a Sidman avoidance schedule showed a significant decrease in performance following intraperitoneal injections of catnip oil (500--750 mg/kg), nepetalic acid (125--250 mg/kg), and the nepetalactone-enriched fraction (500--750 mg/kg). Rats trained on the same avoidance schedule developed behavioral tolerance after daily injections of 750 mg/kg catnip oil.

A chronological, documented summary of the reputed uses of glycyrrhiza since 2100 B.C. to the present with correlations made to modern pharmacological research. Many early claims for a broad spectrum of uses for this drug appear to be borne out by conclusions from modern research.

The fungicides benlate, maneb, and captan depressed plant growth, thebaine concentration, and thebaine yield per plant when administered chronically to Papaver bracteatum. The chronic administration of dicofol inhibited plant growth and thebaine yield per plant, but did not affect thebaine concentration. Malathion and pyrethrins had no adverse effects on either plant growth or thebaine content.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids occur in more than 40 genera. Among these are two important genera, Senecio and Crotalaria, which have been responsible for heavy losses of livestock and poisoning in man due to their hepatotoxicity. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are also reported to possess a number of other biological activities. Attempts have been made to convert the pyrrolizidine alkaloids to new structures by synthetic modifications. One hundred and twenty semisynthetic compounds were developed and investigated pharmacologically. The range of activity exhibited was hypotensive, local anesthetic, ganglion blocking, neuromuscular blocking and antispasmodic. The five most promising compounds of these series were subjected to detailed pharmacological investigations.

The roots of T. minus race B have yielded, in addition to adiantifoline (1) previously isolated from this source, two new related alkaloids, thaliadine (2) and thaliadanine (5). Both were assigned complete structures by spectral methods and by chemical interconversion to adiantifoline or its product. O-Desmethyladiantifoline should have structure 14, rather than the previously reported 5. All three isolated alkaloids show hypotensive activity in rabbits, and thaliadanine (5) has antimicrobial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis.