ISOLATION OF ARISTOLOCHIC ACIDS FROM ARISTOLOCHIA ALBIDA (DUCH) AND SOME STUDIES OF THEIR BIOLOGICAL ACTIONS (FAMILY: ARISTOLOCHIACEAE
ISOLATION OF ARISTOLOCHIC ACIDS FROM ARISTOLOCHIA ALBIDA (DUCH) AND SOME STUDIES OF THEIR BIOLOGICAL ACTIONS (FAMILY: ARISTOLOCHIACEAE
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Date
2000-05
Authors
OYEBANJO, OMOTAYO OLADIPUPO
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Abstract
Aristolochia albida (Duch) [Family: Aristolochiaceae] is a shrub abundantly
available in Nigeria and very much used by the traditional herbalist for a variety of
purposes. The plant is used extensively to treat abdominal colic and is also claimed to
be beneficial in the treatment and management of snake bites.
The chloroform extract of the rhizomes of the plant gave a mixture of pale
yellow micro needle-like fluorescent crystal through chromatographic separation which
after crystallization in CHCl3MeOH (4:1) revealed two spots coded as CA1 and CA2.
CA1 and CA2 were characterized as aristolochic (4,5-methylene dioxy-ll-methoxy-14-
nitrophenanthrene-1-carboxylic acid), C17H21O7N [M+, 341] and aristoloside
(aristolochic acid with glucosyl residue attached to C-9), C23H21O13N [M+, 519] on the
basis of their m.p 191-194 °C and 280 - 283 °C. Spectral analysis (UV, 1R, NMR, MS)
and comparison with reference aristolochic acids respectively.
The biological actions of the crude aqueous extract of the plant rhizomes
showed a dose-dependent relaxation of the frog rectus abdominis and antagonised the
action of acetylcholine on the same tissue in the same manner like atropine. This effect
is beneficial in the management of gastrointestinal disorders thus justifying the use of
the plant for stomach disorders in traditional medicine. The anti-snake venom studies
of rhizomes of Aristolochia albida showed that the extract could safely be useful in the
treatment of snake bites especially those involving N. nigricollis, a cobra snake. The
extract (4 mg/ml) antagonised the effective concentration of venom of N. nigricollis
(0.16 mg/ml) dose dependently and occupy the muscarinic receptors thereby changing
the conformation of the receptors thus preventing the snake venom access to these
receptors to cause toxic and lethal reactions, which suggests that the extract might
consists of agents capable of suppressing the effect of the venom. The biological test
on rat phrenic nerve diaphragm revealed that the aqueous extract of the plant reduced
slightly the inhibition effect of the venom even though the phrenic nerve diaphragm is a
weak tissue in explaining the basis for neurochemical transmission. The use of this
plant in traditional medicine is thus justified by the results of these tests in the
treatment and management of snakebites.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZAR1A.
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF
THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZAR1A - NIGERIA.
MAY, 2000.
Keywords
ISOLATION,, ARISTOLOCHIC,, ACIDS,, ARISTOLOCHIA ALBIDA,, (DUCH), BIOLOGICAL,, (FAMILY: ARISTOLOCHIACEAE)