Fifteen coumarins, 2′‐angeloyl‐3′‐isovaleryl vaginate (4), archangelicin (3), oxypeucedanin hydrate (8), bergapten (5), byakangelicin angelate (15), imperatorin (11), isoimperatorin (6), isopimpinellin (13), 8‐[2‐(3‐methylbutroxy)‐3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylbutoxy]psoralen (12), osthol (1), ostruthol (9), oxypeucedanin (7), phellopterin (14), psoralen (2) and xanthotoxin (10), have been isolated from a chloroform extract of the roots of Angelica archangelica L. subsp. archangelica (Apiaceae). 2, 4, 12, and 15 are reported for the first time from A. archangelica L. The isolation was carried out using medium pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) using the normal phase mode and then subsequently using a combination of the reversed and normal phase techniques. The eluents were optimized by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography preassays according to the “PRISMA” system, and then transferred without modification of the solvent selectivity to preparative MPLC separations. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic methods. The isolation was carried out from a chloroform extract which in earlier tests had exhibited calcium blocking activity on the uptake of 45Ca2+ in clonal rat pituitary GH4C1 cells. The calcium antagonistic activity of the isolated compounds was then tested using the same method as for the extracts. All the coumarins tested exhibited calcium antagonistic activity. Archangelicin showed activity significantly higher than that of verapamil in this test system.

Twenty solvents were tested in the extraction of compounds from the roots of Angelica archangelica L. (Apiaceae), and the calcium-antagonistic activity of the extracts was investigated. Special attention was paid to the physical and chemical properties of the solvents and their extraction abilities. The calcium antagonistic effect of the extracts was investigated by measuring the inhibition of depolarization-induced Ca2+ uptake in rat pituitary GH4C1 cells. The criteria used in determining the best solvents for the extraction were the yield and the biological activity of the extract, as well as the amount of nonpolar compounds in the extract. The final criterion used in selecting the solvent was its usability with reference to boiling point, chemical interactions (e.g. methylation), etc. Chloroform was found to be the best solvent for the extraction of nonpolar, biologically active compounds from the roots of A. archangelica.

Six iridoids and one phenylpropanoid isolated from Loniceru implexu Aiton (Caprifoliaceae), Phlomis cr/n/ta Cay.(Lamiaceae), and Scrophularia auriculuta L. (Scrophulariaceae) were tested for topical anti-inflammatory activity. Since no reports on their pharmacological activity have been published, the present work was undertaken to determine whether they have any topical anti-inflammatory effect.L. implexa and P. cnn/f a were collected in Corhera, Valencia (Spain) and S. auniculata in Sueca, Valencia (Spain).Voucher specimens were deposited in the herbarium of the Botany Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Valencia. The airdried aerial part of the plants was successively extracted with Cfl3C13 and MeOH. The extracts obtained were concentrated in a vacuum, and fractionated by means of a series of chromatographic techniques including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, cellulose, and RP-8 CC and DCCC. The following compounds were isolated: lamiide from P. cninita, loganin and iridoid I (unidentified iridoid) from L. implexa, and acteoside, iridoid 2, iridoid 3 (two unidentified iridoids), iridoid 4 [mixture of two iridoids, 6-O-(2

Three types of methods for the identification of irradiation of spices were tested as potential control methods. The methods were microbiological, combining a direct epifluorescent filter technique (DEFT) with a total aerobic plate count (APC), a chemiluminescence method and chemical gas-chromatographic (GC) and GC mass-spectrometric (MS) methods for analysis of volatile oils of spices isolated by steam distillation. Twelve samples of spices, mainly peppers, were analysed before and after gamma-irradiation with doses of 10 and 50 kGy. The chemiluminescence measurements were performed before the irradiation and 10 and 100 days after the irradiation. The best methods for control purposes were the microbiological (DEFT + APC) methods combined with chemiluminescence measurements. No differences were detected between the irradiated and non-irradiated samples with the chemical methods.

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