To obtain immunomodulating substances from Amazonian medicinal plants, hot water extracts from 21 samples available commercially were tested in terms of mitogenic and colony-stimulating factor (CSF)-inducing activities. Among them, Dalbergia monetaria exhibited the highest CSF-inducing activity. Orobol 8-C-glucoside (OCG-8) and orobol 6-C-glucoside (OCG-6) were isolated from the bark of D. monetaria as major constitutents. The CSF-inducing activity of OCG-8 was higher than that of OCG-6 and a dose-dependent manner at a range of 0.1-l0 mg/mouse. Serum CSF production induced by an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection with 1 mg OCG-8 reached a peak at 4-6 h later, suggesting that OCG-8 would act on hematopoietic system.
Aconite root has high toxicity caused by diester alkaloids, thus it was necessary to define the limiting value of diester alkaloids used in medicine formulation. To give the quality of ''Processed Aconite Root'' and ''Powdered Processed Aconite Root'' in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (14th edn, supplement II), we established the official specification and evaluation methods of standard substances. High qualitative grade diester alkaloids, aconitine, hypaconitine, jesaconitine and mesaconitine, which were useful to evaluate the purity of processed aconite root and powdered pro- cessed aconite root, were prepared and evaluated for their stability. We studied the physicochemical speci- fication and evaluation methods of these alkaloids. In addition, an ''Aconitum diester alkaloids standard solution for purity'', which was used for the purity test, was prepared, and we also studied its physicochemical specification and evaluation methods. In addition, to evaluate the quality of processed aconite root and powdered processed aconite root, a TLC identification test was established. A monoester alkaloid of ben- zoylmesaconine hydrochloride was used as the refer- ence standard in the latter test, and we also investigated its physicochemical specification and evaluation methods.
Genetic identification among cinnamon species was studied by analyzing nucleotide sequences of chloroplast DNA from four species (Cinnamomum cassia, C. zeylanicum, C. burmannii and C. sieboldii). The two regions studied were the intergenic spacer region between the trnL 3'exon and trnF exon (trnL -trnF IGS) and the trnL intron region. We found nucleotide variation at one site in the trnL-trnF IGS, and at three sites in the trnL intron. With the sequence data from analysis of these regions, the four Cinnamomum species used in this study were correctly identified. Furthermore, single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of PCR products from the trnL-trnF IGS and the trnL intron resulted in different SSCP band patterns among C. cassia, C. zeylanicum and C. burmannii.
We analyzed the nucleotide sequences of the non-coding region of chloroplast DNA : the intergenic spacer between trnL (UAA) 3'exon and trnF (GAA). Two kinds of sequence, "type-1" and "type-2", were detected in 33 populations of Cannabis sativa. The length of the "type-1" fragment was 354 bp. In contrast, the "type-2" fragment from 3 populations was 353 bp long, with only one base deletion compared to "type-1." The fragment length from Humulus lupulus was 353 bp with a 1-bp deletion, and ten 1-bp substitutions compared to the sequences from C. sativa "type-1." Furthermore, we could clearly identify differences between C. sativa and H. lupulus using single-strand conformation polymorphism of PCR products (PCR-SSCP) analysis.
From the Brazilian medicinal plant Carucaá (Cordia multispicata), oleanane- and ursane-type triterpenoids were previously reported as anti-androgenic constituents of the plant. In this study, purification of the polar elements of the EtOAc-soluble fraction of the plant revealed nine novel dammarane-type triterpenes, named cordianols A-I (1-9) along with the known compound cordialin A (10). The structures of these new compounds were elucidated by means of spectral methods including HRFABMS, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and 2D NMR (HMQC, HMBC, NOESY). Absolute configuration at C-23 of compound 7 was determined by an excitone chirality method. Some of these new compounds revealed a hemiketal structure on the A ring and a hydroxylated or epoxidated 20(22)-(E)-ene side chain and showed weak anti-androgenic activity.
The present study was carried out to compare the accelerating effect of shikonin and alkannin and to elucidate the expression of CD antigen and histological changes on the proliferation of granulation tissue in rats. Shikonin and alkannin produced a dose-dependent acceleration of the cotton pellet-induced granuloma formation and this accelerating potency of both compounds on the proliferation of granulation tissue was about the same 5 and 10 d after implantation of the cotton pellet. Also, both compounds increased the ratio of CD11b+ cells in the granulation tissue 5 and 10 d after implantation of the cotton pellet. Both compounds increased the expression of CD11b+ cells with granulocytes such as macrophages and histiocytes, and then accelerated the proliferation of fibroblasts and collagen fiber. On the other hand, neither compound increased the ratio of CD3+ cells in the granulation tissue after 5 and 10 d. These results suggest that shikonin and alkannin accelerate the proliferation of granulation tissue induced by the cotton pellet and this accelerating effect may be attributed to an increase in the expression of CD11b+ cells, and the acceleration of the proliferation of fibroblasts and collagen fiber in the granulation tissue.