PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF CERTAINCESTRUMSPECIES

Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF CERTAIN CESTRUM SPECIES General Analysis, Lipids and Triterpenoids ByM. S. K a r a w y a , A. M. R i z k , F. M. H a m m o u d a , A. M. D i a b and Z. F. A h m e d T h e Cestrum species (Solanaceae) are mostly cultivated shrubs or small trees which have been introduced rather recently into Egypt for ornamental purposes. Beside their reputation for their bright, attractive and fragrant flowers, most of Cestrum species find several applications in folk medicine. C. laevigatum is applied as a sedative dressing to wounds and ulcers and taken as an antispasmodic and diuretic, C. parqui is used in Chile as antifebrile, while C. nocturntlrn is said to be poisonous (W a t t and B r e y e r-B r a n d w i j k , 1962), and reported also to be used for epilepsy and as a stupefying charm medicine in West Indies. C h a t t e rf e e and R a y (1964) studied the saponin from the leaves of C. diurnum for its possible cardiotonic property, and found that it caused an initial stimulation of the amplitude of the heart followed by a decrease in the amplitude till the heart stopped in diastole, an effect similar to that produced by the saponin of C. nocturnum. Like cardiac glycosides, saponins of C. ditrrnurn cause an initial stimulation of cardiac output but not of the rate of outflow. Certain Cestrum species have been a subject of interest to some investigators from the phytochemical point of view particularly their steroid alkaloids and saponins (C a n h a m and W a r r e n , 1950; S i l v a et al., 1962; C h a k r a v a r t i et al., 1962, 1963; K a r a w y a et al., 1970). C. parqui and C. diurnum were reported to contain triterpenic acids (C h a k r a v a r t i et a]., 1963). This part of work deals with the general analysis, lipids and triterpenoids of certain Cestrum species growing in Egypt vi z. C. nurantiacum Li n d l., C. diurnum L. and C. purpureum S t a n d. Experimental and Results Plant Material The plants were collected from the Ornamental Plants Farm, Horticulture Dept., Cairo University in Apri1.l The plants were kindly authenticated by Prof. V. Tick h o 1 m , Faculty o f Science, Cairo University.

Fast determination of colchicine by TLC-densitometry from pharmaceuticals and vegetal extracts

“…There are known spectrophotometric [1], volumetric [2], potentiometric [3,4], voltametric [5,6], gravimetric [7], radio and enzyme immunoassays [8] and various chromatographic [9][10][11] methods for quantitative determination of colchicine, each of them presenting a series of advantages and disadvantages. Combining the chromatographic separation on a silica layer and the in situ densitometric determination of the separated compounds, results a highly efficient, quick, accurate and relatively inexpensive method, eliminating the possible interference given by other structurally related compounds.…”

Invasion of <i>Cestrum aurantiacum</i> Lindl. in Kenya

“…The unsaponifiable matters of lipids of the three species were found to contain β-amyrin and β-sitosterol. The fatty acids were identified as myristic, palmitic, [113]. These compounds are responsible for the medicinal applications of these species (See Table 2).…”

“…Cestrum poisoning was reported for the first time in Kenya in 1948 it therefore, became the intention of the government to schedule it as noxious weed in those districts where conditions allow for its rapid multiplication and it had escaped from cultivation and spread into grazing areas [110]. Another case was when a two and a half year old colt from Tigoni Limuru was admitted at the large animal clinic department of veterinary studies university of Nairobi on 13/6/1990 [105] it had rather protracted history, the owner admitted it fed on cestrum cut from nearby hedge [113]. These cases highlight the significance of understanding the consequences of having cestrum in our living environment.…”