The effect of Cordia platythyrsa on various experimental models of pain and carrageenan induced inflammation

Only one study has reported on the medicinal properties of Cordia platythyrsa (C. platythyrsa) though it is used in African traditional medicine for treatment of fever and pain. The current study aimed at investigating the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of C. platythyrsa using various animal models: writhing test, tail flick, thermal hyperalgesia, mechanically induced-pain, formalin-induced pain and carrageenan-induced inflammation tests. Like aspirin, the two doses of plant extracts used inhibited acetic acid-induced pain though these effects were weaker than the effects of morphine. Although, the plant extract significantly (p<0.01) inhibited thermal pain, its effects were less significant compared to morphine. Celecoxib (10 mg/kg) and plant extract (100 mg/kg) significantly inhibited thermal hyperalgesia compared to indomethacin. On the other hand, both doses of plant extract significantly increased mechanical pain thresholds 30 and 90 min post treatment. The plant extract (150 mg/kg) inhibited both the neurogenic and inflammatory pain phases of formalin-induced pain as well as carrageenan-induced inflammation. This study is the first to show that C. platythyrsa has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.Keywords: Analgesia, pain, writhing, formalin, thermal hyperalgiaAfrican Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(2), pp. 343-348, 8 January, 201

Heterocycles of biological importance: Part 7. Synthesis of biologicallyactive pyrimido[2,1-b]benzothiazoles from acetylenic acids and2-aminobenzothiazoles

Conjugate addition of the imino nitrogen of 2-aminobenzothiazoles 1 to the alkyne β-carbon atom of acetylenic acids 2 followed by ring closure gives rise to novel 2H-pyrimido[2,1-b]-benzothiazol-2-ones in good yield

Biological activity of plant extracts and isolated compounds from Alchornea laxiflora: Anti-HIV, antibacterial and cytotoxicity evaluation

This study was designed to assess the cytotoxicity, anti-HIV and antibacterial efficacy of various solvent extracts of roots, stem and leaves of Alchornea laxiflora, as well as five compounds isolated from its methanolic stem extract viz.; ellagic acid (1); 3-O-methyl-ellagic acid (2), 3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-β-sitosterol (3), 3-O-acetyl-oleanolic acid (4) and 3-O-acetyl-ursolic acid (5). The tested crude extracts were prepared from several solvent polarities including: hexane (Hex), chloroform (CHCl3), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), ethanol (EtOH), methanol (MeOH) and water (H2O). The anti-HIV properties were assessed on HIV-1 subtype C integrase while the cytotoxicity was tested against Hela cells. The antibacterial activity was studied on a panel of pathogens including gastrointestinal, skin, respiratory and urinary-tract infection causing Gram positive bacteria viz.; Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (ATCC 15305)] and Gram-negative bacteria, i.e., Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 13883), Moraxella catarrhalis (ATCC 23246). All the tested samples were determined to be non-toxic due to the low inhibitions observed. The most potent anti-HIV activity was observed for the methanolic extract of A. laxiflora root (ALR4) with an IC50 value of 0.21 ng/ml, which was more active than chicoric acid used as reference drug (6.82 nM). Roots, stem and leaves of A. laxiflora extracts exhibited antibacterial activities against most of the Gram-positive bacteria with the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging between 50 and 63 μg/ml. Compounds 1–5 displayed antibacterial activities against S. saprophyticus with MIC values as low as 4 μg/ml. The results inferred from this study demonstrate the potential of A. laxiflora root as a source for new anti-HIV drugs and scientifically validate the traditional use of A. laxiflora in the treatment of gastrointestinal, skin, respiratory and urinary tract related infections. These results reaffirm the ethnopharmacological significance of African traditional medicines

Chemical constituents from root barks of Erythrina mildbraedii and stem barks of Erythrina addisoniae

The β-D-galactopyranoside of the tetracosanoic acid (1) was isolated from the stem barks of Erythrina addisoniae along with known tetracosanoic acid (2), α-sophoradiol (3), stigmasterol (4), warangalone (5), 3-Oβ-D-glucopyranoside of β-sitosterol (6) and 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside of daidzein (7). Two known compounds (erythrinasinate (8) and erycristagallin (9)) were also isolated from the root barks of Erythrina mildbraedii. Their structures were assigned on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical transformation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v28i1.1

Heterocycles of biological importance: Part 7. Synthesis of biologicallyactive pyrimido[2,1-b]benzothiazoles from acetylenic acids and2-aminobenzothiazoles

Conjugate addition of the imino nitrogen of 2-aminobenzothiazoles 1 to the alkyne β-carbon atom of acetylenic acids 2 followed by ring closure gives rise to novel 2H-pyrimido[2,1-b]-benzothiazol-2-ones in good yield

Heterocycles of biological importance: Part 7. Synthesis of biologicallyactive pyrimido[2,1-b]benzothiazoles from acetylenic acids and2-aminobenzothiazoles

Conjugate addition of the imino nitrogen of 2-aminobenzothiazoles 1 to the alkyne β-carbon atom of acetylenic acids 2 followed by ring closure gives rise to novel 2H-pyrimido[2,1-b]-benzothiazol-2-ones in good yield

Heterocycles of biological importance: Part 7. Synthesis of biologicallyactive pyrimido[2,1-b]benzothiazoles from acetylenic acids and2-aminobenzothiazoles

Conjugate addition of the imino nitrogen of 2-aminobenzothiazoles 1 to the alkyne β-carbon atom of acetylenic acids 2 followed by ring closure gives rise to novel 2H-pyrimido[2,1-b]-benzothiazol-2-ones in good yield

Effects of the methanol extract of Erythrina abyssinica on hot flashes in ovariectomized rats

We investigated the estrogen-like properties of the methanol extract of Erythrina abyssinica in ovariectomized rats. Climaterix was induced in female rats by surgically removing the ovaries. Data loggers implanted in the abdominal cavity during the procedure recorded core temperatures at predetermined time intervals for 72 h. 6 h after the onset of temperature recording, animals were treated with estrogen (1 mg/kg), methanol extract of Erythrina abyssinica (200 mg/kg) or an equivalent volume of 5% ethanol. Rats treated with extract had significantly fewer hot flashes (171 ± 11 vs. 264 ± 21) which were of shorter duration (683 ± 137 min vs. 1935 ± 345 min) compared to untreated animals. Treated animals had lower core temperature during periods of high activity indicating that the methanol extract of E. abyssinica reduced frequency and duration of hot flashes.Keywords: Ovariectomized, extract, Erythrina abyssinica, climaterixAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(6), pp. 598-60

Antioxidant Activity of Compounds Isolated from the Root Woods of Erythrina droogmansiana

peer reviewedThe aim of this study was to isolate, to characterize secondary metabolites from methanolic extract of the root woods of Erythrina droogmansiana and to assess the antioxidant activity of the crude extract and isolated compounds. The phytochemical study led to the isolation of 3-(3’,4’-methelenedioxyphenyl)-2,3-epoxypropanol (1), asperphenamate (2) and three flavonoids namely genistein, diadzein and 4’,5,7-trihydroxy-8-prenylisoflavone. These compounds were characterized using their 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HMBC, HSQC, COSY, mass spectral and the literature. To evaluate antioxidant activity of crude extract and isolated compounds, the radical scavenging (DPPH) and Ferric Reducing Ability Power (FRAP) were performed using ascorbic acid as standard. Compounds 1 and 2 showed moderate radical scavenging potential with IC50 value of 3.14 and 3.31 mg/ml respectively, and moderate reducing power ability with value of 0.14±0.01 mgAAE/mg and 0.21±0.01 mgAAE/mg respectively. The more active compound was genistein (3) with IC50 value of 1.96 mg/ml for the DPPH radical scavenging potential and 0.24±0.02 mgAAE/mg for its ability to reduce iron

Isolation and characterization of 5-hydoxy-4', 7-dimethoxyisoflavone from the root bark of Millettia Mannii (Leguminoceae)

No Abstract. Journal of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences Vol. 5(2&3) 2005: 97-10