Anthraquinone drugs

The therapeutic application of some drugs is due to 1,8-dihydroxy-anthraquinones they contain. The single compounds may occur in the quinone, anthranol or anthrone form, or possibly as glucosides or dimers [195,227]. As a rule, mixtures of many compoimds of this class occur in the plants. Since their activities are not identical, the analytical determination of the individual compounds is attempted. 

The vast majority of pubhcations in this connection is concerned with the Aloe natural drugs. Fundamental work on the TLC of the anthra-quinone drugs has been carried out by Horhammer s team [104, 105, 106, 113] after we had previously pointed out the benefits of a TLC-analysis of such plant extracts (see Fig. 6 in [203]). 

Most authors prefer silica gel layers. The first solvent to be considered was the mixture ethyl acetate-formic acid-water (60 + 12 + 18), used in PC. It is, however, best to replace the formic acid by methanol this mixture is stabler and can be more easily removed from the layer (Table 170,1). 

The solvents in Table 170 are suitable for TLC-separation of the constituents of Aloe, Rhamnus and Senna species and also for tinctures and extracts prepared from them [23—26, 108, 114, 142, 143, 178—182, 213]. Solvent I has an especially wide range of application with mixtures of anthraquinone glucosides. Solvent VII is more suitable, however, for the dianthrone glucosides. 

II Benzene-ethyl formate-formic acid (75 + 24+ 1) [203] in Benzene-acetic acid (66 + 33) [149] 

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Anthraquinone glycosides are coloured substances, and are the active components in a number of crude drugs, especially with laxative and purgative properties. Anthraquinone aglycone increases peristaltic action of large intestine. A number of over the counter laxative preparations contain anthraquinone glycosides. The use of anthraquinone drugs, however,... 

Uniike the buik-forming iaxatives, which are unabsorbed, the diphenyimethane and anthraquinone drugs are absorbed in considerable amounts, and excreted in bile, urine, and breast milk. 

TLC of important anthraquinone drugs according to Horhammer, Wagner and Bittner [104] schematically drawn chromatogram on the left and explanatory notes on the right. Leyer silica gel G (Firm 88) solvent ethyl acetate-methanol-water (100+16.5 +13.5)... 

Anthraquinone, 1-hydroxy-calcium aluminum chelate compound, 1,2 metal complexes dyes, 6,86 Antiarthritis drugs labelled gold compounds, 6, 969 metal complexes, 6,758 Antibiotic M139163,2, 974 Antibiotics ionophoric, 6, 553 metal complexes selective binding, 6, 552... 

Locatelli M. Anthraquinones Analytical Techniques as a Novel Tool to Investigate on the Triggering of Biological Targets. Current Drug Targets, 2011, 12,366-380. 

The two most important diphenylmethanes are phenolphthalein and bisacodyl. Senna and cascara are the sources of anthraquinone laxatives. However, although still available in some countries phenolphthalein is now removed from most markets because of concerns over carcinogenicity. As recent as 2006 the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has categorized castor oil as generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) for over-the-counter use as a laxative. On the other hand, in 2002 cascara was banned by the FDA. 

The family, characteristic of Arabia and South Africa with some species in other parts of Africa and Madagascar, has been separated from the Liliaceac. Species have been introduced elsewhere. Several have been used as a source of laxative anthraquinones and as a component of cosmetic preparations. Aloe is one of the oldest drugs. 

Food, drug, and cosmetic foods, drugs, and cosmetics azo, anthraquinone, carotenoid and triarylmethane... 

The molecular structure of the anticancer drug daunomycin is shown in Fig. 1. It consists of an anthraquinone ring system (aglycon), the portion which intercalates into the DNA [15], and an amino sugar group (daunosamine), which stays in the DNA minor groove. 

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