The bushes ofPaliurus spina-christi Mill., also known as Christ's thorn or hold-tree, are widespread in all regions of Caucasus and Central Asia. This is a nectariferous flower-bearing fruit plant, the fruits having been used in folk medicine for the treatment of various disorders. Recently, it was reported that the ethanol extract of some parts of this plant exhibit antimicrobial activity [1].The leaves, flowers, and fruits of Paliurus spina-christi contain epigallocatechol, gallocatechol, catechol, rutin, isoquercetin, quercetin-3-rutinoside-7-rhamnoside, kaempferol-3-glycoside, fatty acids, and alkaloids [2 -5]. However, the fruits of this plant are still insufficiently studied with respect to pharmacological properties.The purpose of this work was to study the lipophilic and hydrophilic components of the fruits and seeds of Paliurus spina-christi, characterize the biological activity of these substances, and create a medicinal preparation on this base.We have succeeded in isolating a neutral lipid (NL) fraction (20%) from the plant seeds, which is a yellow oily fluid with the following characteristics: d 2~ 0.9227; n~ ~ 1,4778; iodine number, 102.6% 12; acid number, 4.5 mg KOH; unsaponifiable fraction, 1.2%.Investigation of the NL composition by methods of column chromatography, followed by analytical and preparative thin-layer chromatography of the narrow-band fractions, revealed a series of compounds belonging to the following classes (wt.%): hydrocarbons, 1.5; esters of fatty acids and sterols, 2.3; triacylglycerides (TAG), 90.5; free fatty acids (FFA), 2.2; diacylglycerides (DAG), 0.5; flee sterols, 0.8; monoacylglycerides, 0.3; unidentified compounds, 1.9.Fatty acids (FA) were isolated by alkaline hydrolysis from the fraction of basic acyl-containing lipids and analyzed (in the form of methyl esters) by gas chromatography (GC) on polar and medium-polarity immobile phases. The 1 Kutateladze Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia. 2 Deceased. 591UV spectrum of a hexane solution of FA exhibited no absorption bands; the IR absorption spectrum of FA displayed no bands due to the vibrations of transolefin bonds [6].As seen from data on the FA composition (Table 1), unsaturated 18 : 1 and 18 : 2 acids dominate in all classes of NL, while saturated components are mostly contained in the fraction of free fatty acids (FFA). The difference in the content of 18 : 0, 18 : 2, and 18 : 3 acids, detected by GC with polar and medium-polarity immoi~ile phases, is indicative of the presence of isomers of the unsaturated acids [7]. The structure of fatty acids was studied by fractionating their methyl esters with respect to the degree of saturation. This was achieved by preparative TLC oh silica gel impregnated with 15% AgNO s, followed by destructive oxidation of the isolated fractions with a periodate -permaganate reagent [8]. During TLC, methyl esters of diene and triene fatty acids partly separated into two isomer fractions, which were jointly desorbed. The TLC analysis s...

We have investigated the roots and rhizomes of Helleborus abchasicus A. Br. for their content of lactones of 7-hydroxyvinylacrylie acid, ranuneulin, and anemonin. For this purpose, the freshly comminuted plant material was extracted with water containing 2% of nitric acid. The lactones were adsorbed from the extract with carbon, and then eluted with 50% ethanol. After the solvent had been distilled off, a dark yellow viscous residue was obtained which was chromatographed on a column of silica gel and eluted with ethanol. The fractions were monitored by paper chromatography in a butan-l-ol-ethanol-water (7 : 2 : 2) system as proposed by Ruijgrok [1,2] and in a butan-l-olpyridine-water (4 : 1 : 1) system. The Legal-Gadamer reagent was used.The first fractions, after repeated recrystallization, yielded faintly yellowish aeicular crystals with mp 152-154 ° C. On a paper chromatogram a single spot with Rf 0.72 appeared at the level of authentic anemonin. UV spectrum: Xmax 215 n~. A mixture gave no depression of the melting point.The subsequent fractions yielded rectangular crystals with mp 138-141 ° C, [ol]~ -80 ° (c 1.65, water). On a paper chromatogram a spot was found with Rf 0.20 in the region of a standard sample of ranunculin. UV spectrum: ~max 210 n~. A mixture gave no depression of the melting point.Consequently, the isolated substances are pure anemonin and ranunculin.By paper chromatographic analysis, the fatty oil of Helleborus abchasieus was found to contain anemonin, the total steroid saponins of the plant to contain ranunculin, and the total glycosides to contain ranunculin and a second substance, with Rf 0.494, giving reactions of ranunculin derivatives. This is the first time ranunculin and anemonin have been isolated from Helleborus abchasicus.

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