PHYTOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON GARDENIA SRUBESCENS STAFF & HUTCH
PHYTOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON GARDENIA SRUBESCENS STAFF & HUTCH
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Date
1988-01
Authors
HUSSAIN, M. MUSHARRAF
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Abstract
G a r d e n i a erubescens Stapf & Hutch. (Rubiaceae) is
l o c a l l y used for the t r e a t m e n t of gonorrhoea, impotence
and s i m i l a r o t h e r a i l m e n t s . Phytochemical i n v e s t i g a t i on
on the root l e d to the i s o l a t i o n of v a n i l l i c a c i d , d i o c t yl
p h t h a l a t e , p - s i t o s t e r o l and D-raannitol i n c l u d i n g some
u n i d e n t i f i e d compounds d e s i g n a t e d as CER1, CER2M, CER3, CAC,
AGFM3, AGFM11, WB2 and a crude m i x t u r e of s a p o n i n s . An
u n i d e n t i f i e d a l k a l o i d and an u n i d e n t i f i e d f l a v o n o i d pigment
i n t r a c e q u a n t i t i e s have a l s o been i s o l a t e d . Stem b a r k and
stem wood a l s o y i e l d e d s i m i l a r compounds.
Mannitol has been found to be the major compound in a l l
t h e p a r t s i n v e s t i g a t e d ( l e a f 5%, stem b a r k 3.4%, whole root
1.8%, stem wood 0.4% and f r u i t 0.25%). The sugars l i b e r a t ed
upon h y d r o l y s i s of saponins were i d e n t i f i e d as g l u c o s e,
a r a b i n o s e , xylose and g l u c u r o n i c a c i d . Glucose and f r u c t o se
were d e t e c t e d as f r e e s u g a r s in the p l a n t.
The crude s a p o n i n s , methanolic and w a t e r e x t r a c t s and
some of the i s o l a t e d compounds were s c r e e n e d for v a r i o us
b i o l o g i c a l a c t i v i t i e s using i n t a c t animals and i s o l a t ed
t i s s u e s . The water e x t r a c t of the stem b a r k and aqueous
s o l u t i o n of the i s o l a t e d mannitol produced mild d i u r e s i s in
r a t s when given o r a l l y . The methanolic and water e x t r a c ts
showed no in v i t r o a n t i b a c t e r i a l e f f e c t . The m e t h a n o l ic
e x t r a c t and crude saponin s were shown to p o s s e s s low
h a e m o l y t i c a c t i v i t y.
The crude saponins c o n t r a c t e d the r a t u t e r u s , whereas
t h e methanolic and water e x t r a c t s caused s l i g h t c o n t r a c t i o ns
v i i
a t higher c o n c e n t r a t i o n s ( 4 - 8 r a g / m l ) o n l y . Methyl
v e r a t r a t e and compound CAC e f f e c t i v e l y a n t a g o n i s e d t he
c o n t r a c t i l e e f f e c t s produced on the u t e r u s by a c e t y l c h o l i ne
(40 - 80 ng/ml) and oxytocin (0,02 - 0,04 ng/ml) in a
c o n c e n t r a t i o n - d e p e n d e n t and r e v e r s i b l e manner. Methyl
v e r a t r a t e , crude s a p o n i n s , and m e t h a n o l i c and water e x t r a c ts
a l l r e v e r s i b l y i n h i b i t e d the normal spontaneous c o n t r a c t i o ns
produced by r a b b i t ileum in a dose-dependent manner. The
r e s p o n s e s of r a b b i t ileum to a c e t y l c h o l i n e (80 ng/ml) were
b l o c k e d c o n c e n t r a t i o n - d e p e n d e n t l y by methyl v e r a t r a t e.
The crude s a p o n i n s , methyl v e r a t r a t e , compound CAC and
m e t h a n o l i c e x t r a c t s i g n i f i c a n t l y i n h i b i t e d g r o s s b e h a v i o u rs
of young mice and c h i c k s and caused dose-dependent s e d a t i o n.
None of them produced any hypnosis in mice, although the crude
saponins p o t e n t i a t e d the d u r a t i o n of t h e i r p e n t o b a r b i t o n e -
induced s l e e p . The crude s a p o n i n s , b e t a - s i t o s t e r o l , methyl
v e r a t r a t e and compound CAC slowed down i s o l a t e d p e r f u s ed
r a b b i t h e a r t.
The crude saponins and methanolic e x t r a c t showed no
a n t i c o n v u l s a n t e f f e c t s in mice . T h e s e e x t r a c t s produced a l i t t le
c o n t r a c t i l e e f f e c t on the frog r e c t u s abdominis muscle b ut
d i d not produce any o b s e r v a b l e e f f e c t s on r a t v a s , The crude
saponins e f f e c t i v e l y reduced the a n t i p s y c h o t i c behaviour in
c h i c k s induced by apomorphine in a dose-dependent manner.
The crude saponins and m e t h a n o l i c e x t r a c t produced d o s e -
dependent a n a l g e s i a and c a t a l e p s y in a d u l t r a t s . They a l so
reduced the blood p r e s s u r e of a n a e s t h e t i s e d c a t s .
The Median L e t h a l Doses ( i n t r a p e r i t o n e a l ) of t he
m e t h a n o l i c e x t r a c t and crude saponins were found to be 550
mg/kg and 119 mg/kg r e s p e c t i v e l y.
Description
A t h e s i s s u b m i t t e d to Ahmadu B e l l o U n i v e r s i t y , Z a r i a,
i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t of the requirements for
t h e degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacognosy
Keywords
PHYTOCHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, INVESTIGATIONS, GARDENIA, SRUBESCENS, HUTCH