In vitro antimicrobial activity of extracts of four Achillea species: the composition of Achillea clavennae L. (Asteraceae) extract.

Eudesmane sesquiterpenoids from the Asteraceae family.

by Xiao-Tang Sia), Man-Li Zhanga), Qing-Wen Shi*a), and Hiromasa Kiyota*b) a) Department of Natural Product Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hebei Medicinal University, 361 Zhongshan East Road, 050017, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, P. R. China b) Laboratory of Applied Bioorganic Chemistry, Division of Bioscience and Biotechnology for Future Bioindustry, Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tohoku University, 1-1 Tsutsumidori-Amamiya, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 981-555, Japan (phone: þ81-22-717-8785, fax: þ81-22-717-8783, e-mail: kiyota@biochem.tohoku.ac.jp)

Chemical constituents of the plants in the genus achillea

Guggulu, the gum resin from Commiphora mukul, is one of the components of various formulations of traditional Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammation, obesity, and lipid disorders. In most preparations of Ayurvedic medicine in India, guggulu is boiled prior to its use. Therefore, guggulu was boiled with H 2 O prior to extractions in our study. Bioassay-guided isolation of compounds from the hexane-soluble portion of the MeOH extract of guggulu yielded cembrenoids, 1-6, a bicyclic diterpene, 7, guggulusterone derivatives, 8-11. myrrhanone derivatives, 12, myrrhanol derivative, 13, and a lignan, 14. The structures of these compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic methods. Compounds 5, 6, 7, 10, and 12-14 are novel. These compounds were assayed for lipid peroxidation and cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme inhibitory activities. At 100 ppm, compounds 3, 6, and 14 inhibited the lipid peroxidation by 79, 57, and 58%, respectively, and the rest of isolated compounds showed 20 - 40% inhibitory activity with respect to the controls. In COX-1 and COX-2 enzyme inhibitory assays. compound 3 showed 79 and 83%, and compound 8 gave 67 and 54% of inhibition, respectively, at 100 ppm. All fourteen compounds inhibited COX-1 enzyme at 100 ppm. The lipid peroxidation and COX enzyme inhibitory activities exhibited by compounds isolated from C. mukul may substantiate its use in traditional medicine.

Bioactive terpenoids and guggulusteroids from Commiphora mukul gum resin of potential anti-inflammatory interest.

Achillea species are widely used for diarrhea, abdominal pain, stomachache and healing of wounds in folk medicine. To evaluate the wound healing activity of the plant, extracts were prepared with different solvents; hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol, respectively from the roots of Achillea biebersteinii. Linear incision by using tensiometer and circular excision wound models were employed on mice and rats. The wound healing effect was comparatively evaluated with the standard skin ointment Madecassol. The n-hexane extract treated groups of animals showed 84.2% contraction, which was close to contraction value of the reference drug Madecassol (100%). On the other hand the same extract on incision wound model demonstrated a significant increase (40.1%) in wound tensile strength as compared to other groups. The results of histoptological examination supported the outcome of linear incision and circular excision wound models as well. The experimental data demonstrated that A. biebersteinii displayed remarkable wound healing activity.

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Evaluation of the Wound Healing Potential of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. (Asteraceae) by In Vivo Excision and Incision Models

Two highly oxygenated eudesmanes and 10 lignans from Achillea holosericea.

Two new highly oxygenated eudesmanes and 10 known lignans were isolated from the aerial parts of Achillea holosericea. Their structures were elucidated by extensive application of one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy.

Eptehal T. Ali

Papers

Two highly oxygenated eudesmanes and 10 lignans from Achillea holosericea.

Two Highly Oxygenated Eudesmanes and 10 Lignans from Achillea holosericea