The biological activity of natural and semisynthetic lupane triterpenoids is discussed in a two-part review. The first part is devoted to the pharmacological properties of natural lupane triterpenoids. Betulinic acid has proven to be the most effective antitumor agent among more than fifty natural lupanes.

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A new laboratory method for isolating the glycosides stevioside and rebaudiosides A and C from leaves of Stevia rebaudiana was proposed. According to HPLC, the glycoside contents in plants grown in Russia (Voronezh Oblast') and Ukraine (Crimea) were 5-6% (stevioside) and 0.3-1.3% (rebaudiosides A and C).

Diesters based on isosteviol and dicarboxylic acids were synthesized and tested for antituberculous activity. Isosteviol and some of its derivatives exhibit appreciable tuberculostatic properties in vitro, the activity being dependent on the length of the polymethylene spacer connecting two ent-beyeran fragments.The mechanism of the antituberculous action of isosteviol derivatives are discussed. 473 0091-150X/06/4009-0473

Methods for the synthesis of N‐allylated monomers of new structural types based on transformations of hydrazides of carboxylic acids and guanidine have been developed. A reactivity of N,N‐diallyl‐N′‐acylhydrazines (DAH) and 2,2‐diallyl‐1,1,3,3‐tetraethylguanidiniumchloride (AGC) in reactions of free‐radical homo‐ and copolymerization with sulfur dioxide and vinyl monomers has been studied. The structure of the polymers obtained was identified by NMR 13C. Investigations carried out showed DAH and AGC to copolymerize with vinyl monomers and sulphur dioxide, both double bonds participating with the formation of cis‐, trans‐stereoisomeric pyrrolidine structures in cyclolinear polymer chain. Kinetic regularities of the process and some properties of the copolymers have been investigated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.