From the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of the drug Ed/pta a/ba (L.) Hassk. Asteraceae, besides a flavonoid and simple phenolcarboxylic acids, the coumestans wedelolactone and demethylwedelolactone were isolated as the main active principles. Both constituents exhibited antihepatotoxic activity in assays employing CC!4-, GaiN-, and phalloidin-cytotoxicity in rat hepatocytes. They also showed a significant stimulatory effect on liver cell regeneration. A HPLC-method is described for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the coumestans, in the extracts of Eclipta a/ba and also Wedelia ca/endulacea Less., Asteraceae.

Since an extract from the flowers of Butea monosperma, a plant drug used in India for the treatment of liver disorders, showed significant activity in different models of liver damage, the extract was fractionated by solvent partitioning and HPLC, and activity monitored by means of Cd4-and Ga1N-induced liver lesion in Vitro. The antihepatotoxic principles isolated consisted of two known flavonoids, isobutrin (3, 4, 2', 4'-tetrahydroxychalcone-3, 4'-diglucoside), and the less active butrin (7, 3', 4'-trihydroxyflavanone-7, 3-diglucoside). For qualitative and quantitative analysis of isobutrin and butrin in extracts of Butea monosperma flowers a HPLC system was developed.

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