Locomotor effects in sheep of alkaloids identified in Australian Tribulus terrestris

Abstract

Fresh, mature, ungrazed Tribulus terrestris plant material was subjected to a standard alkaloid extraction procedure. The extract was fractionated by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Two major alkaloid fractions were demonstrated. These fractions were identified by means of TLC, ultraviolet spectrofluorimetry (UVS) and HPLC, as the beta-carboline indoleamines harmane and norharmane. The extractable alkaloid content was determined to be 44 mg/kg dry matter. Synthetic harmane and norharmane were administered subcutaneously to sheep at a dose rate of 54 mg/kg. Both compounds caused similar nervous effects. The main effect observed was limb paresis, which in some sheep was body side blased. The clinical signs observed in the experimental sheep were consistent with those described for naturally occurring cases of Tribulus terrestris staggers. It was proposed that harmane and norharmane accumulate in tryptamine-associated neurones of the central nervous system, during months of tribulus ingestion, and gradually interact irreversibly with a specific neuronal gene DNA sequence.

Screening of microalgal culture media for the presence of algicidal compounds and isolation and identification of two bioactive metabolites, excreted by the cyanobacteria Nostoc insulare and Nodularia harveyana

“…Indole alkaloids, containing an intact β-carboline skeleton such as norharmane, are of widespread natural occurrence. Norharmane, the simplest example of β-carbolines, has been described to occur naturally in some higher plants (Gramineae, Sapotaceae and Zygophyllaceae) (Allen & Holmstedt, 1980;Bourke et al, 1992) and rarely for marine organisms, such as the dinoflagellate Noctiluca miliaris (Inoue et al, 1980). Larsen et al (1994) described the isolation of three chlorine-containing β-carbolines (the so-called bauerines A-C) from the cyanobacterium Dichotrix baueriana.…”

In Vitro and in Vivo Antifungal Activities of the Eight Steroid Saponins from Tribulus terrestris L. with Potent Activity against Fluconazole-Resistant Fungal

“…11,16) Earlier studies showed that T. terrestris L. contained flavanoids, steroid saponins, alkaloids and polysaccharides. [17][18][19][20][21][22] In our previous studies, we isolated from T. terrestris L. eight steroid saponins, TTS-8, TTS-9, TTS-10, TTS-11, TTS-12, TTS-13, TTS-14 and TTS-15.…”

A Simple Method for Determination of Protodioscin in Tribulus Terrestris L. and Pharmaceuticals by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Using Diode-Array Detection

“…Publications on TT have reported the isolation of several steroid saponins of furostanol type [15][16][17], with protodioscin as the most dominant one [12], as well as alkaloids and flavonoids [18][19][20][21][22], and recently new feruloyl amide derivative named as tribulusamide C [23]. Obreshova et al [15] identified protogracilin besides protodioscin as the dominate furostanol bisglycoside and, so these compounds are considered to be factor responsible for biological activity of products derived from this plant [14].…”