Bioactivity-driven fractionation of the CHCl(3) extract of the root of Ximenia americana, using the brine shrimp lethality test (BST) and hatchability test with Clavigralla tomentosicollis eggs, gave C(18) acetylenic fatty acids 1 and 2. 1 is octadeca-5-ynoic acid (tariric acid). 2 is a novel ene-ene-yne-ene acetylenic fatty acid (10Z,14E,16E-octadeca-10,14,16-triene-12-ynoi c acid). The structures of 1 and 2 were assigned from the MS and NMR data. Fractions that are rich in acetylenic fatty acids inhibited the hatching of C. tomentosicollis eggs.
Twenty plant species belonging to 15 families were selected in this study on the bases of their uses in Hausa and Kanuri folk medicine to cure malaria and cancer diseases. Extracts prepared form the plants were solvent partitioned and screened for activity in the brine shrimp (Artemia salina Leach) lethality test (BST). Aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of the roots of Cochlospermum tinctorium A. Rich and the chloroform soluble fraction (F 2 ) of stem bark of Entada sudanica Schweinf exhibited very high lethality on brine shrimp larvae at LC 50 values 8 (26 -3), 10(32 -6), and 6(15 -0) μg/ml respectively. Sclerocaria birrea, Momordica charantia, Borehaavia diffusa and Nauclea aculeata extracts also exhibited potent activity at LC 50 values <60 μg/ml. The lethal concentrations (LC 50 ) were determined at 95% confidence intervals by analyzing the data on a computer loaded with "Finney Programme."
Extraction of the roots of Ximenia americana gave 3-olean-12-enyl palmitate (1). The structure of 1 was assigned on the basis of its spectral data and chemical hydrolysis. Compound 1 and its hydrolysis product 3-hydroxy-olean-12-ene (2), unlike oleanolic acid (3), are inactive in the brine shrimp lethality assay.
This paper reports the hypoglycaemic effect of methanol extract of stem-bark of Ficus sycomorus which was investigated in alloxan induced type-2 diabetic albino Wistar rats. The animals were separated into three groups and each was treated with 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg (body weight) of the extract intraperitoneally. The methanol extract of stem-bark of F. sycomorus significantly reduced (P<0.05) the blood glucose levels in all the doses administered, but the effect was more prominent at the dose of 250 mg/kg. Preliminary phytochemical screening of methanol extract of the plant revealed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides, reducing sugars, tannins, resins and saponins. The results of this experimental animal study indicate that stem-bark of F. sycomorus possess some antidiabetic properties.
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