Apocynaceae

There is, therefore, a need for original coxibs, and one might think to look into the medicinal flora of Asia and the Pacific, as an increasing body of evidence suggests the families Apocynaceae, Clusiaceae, Asteraceae, Polygonaceae, Lamiaceae, and Con-volvulaceae to elaborate ast sources of biomolecules which are able to inhibit the enzymatic activity of COX. 

An example of Asteraceae reported to inhibit COX is Cichorium intybus L., or chicory (17). In Asia, Chrysam themum sinense Sab. (Chrysanthemum morifoUum Ramat) and Bidens bipinnata L. are used as anti-inflammatories on account of their likely ability to inhibit COX. 

The family Myrsinaceae consists of 30 genera and about a 1000 species of tropical plants that have attracted a great deal of interest for their quinones and saponins, which have exhibited a large spectrum of pharmacological activities. About 40 species of plants classified within the family Myrsinaceae are medicinal in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly for the treatment of inflammatory conditions. One of these medicinal herbs is Ardisia viUosa Roxb. 

Hyperforin, the major constituent in Hypericum perforatum (St. John s Wort), inhibits the enzymatic activity of 5-lipoxygenase and COX-1 in platelets, acts as a dual inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase and COX-1, and might have some potential in inflammatory and allergic diseases connected to eicosanoids (32). Several Hypericum species are of medicinal value in Asia and the Pacific. One of these is Hypericum erectum Thunb., the potential of which as a source of 5-lipoxygenase is given here. 

Hypericum erectum Thunb., or otogirisou (Japanese), is an herb of grassy places and thin woods in the hills and mountains of Japan, Korea, and China. The plant is a lithe herb with decussate leaves and yellow flowers (Fig. 17). In Japan, the juice expressed from the leaves is used to heal cuts and sooth bruises. A decoction of the fruits is used to stop bleeding. In Vietnam and Cambodia, a paste of the aerial parts is applied to dog 

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The path from squalene (114) to the corresponding oxide and thence to lanosterol [79-63-0] (126), C qH qO, cholesterol [57-88-5] (127), and cycloartenol [469-38-5] (128) (Fig. 6) has been demonstrated in nonphotosynthetic organisms. It has not yet been demonstrated that there is an obligatory path paralleling the one known for generation of plant sterols despite the obvious stmctural relationships of, for example, cycloartenol (128), C qH qO, to cyclobuxine-D (129), C25H42N2O. The latter, obtained from the leaves of Buxus sempervirens E., has apparentiy found use medicinally for many disorders, from skin and venereal diseases to treatment of malaria and tuberculosis. In addition to cyclobuxine-D [2241-90-9] (129) from the Buxaceae, steroidal alkaloids are also found in the Solanaceae, Apocynaceae, and LiUaceae. 

Floriani has recently examined bark from Aspidosperma quebracho bianco Schlecht f. pendulas Speg, in which he found the known alkaloids, quebrachine (yohimbine) and aspidospermine, as well as Hesse s aspidosamine, C2gH2g02N2, and a new base, aspidospermicine, Ci Hj ON, l-SHjO (1938). Hartmann and Schlittler have shown that the alkaloid vallesine from Vallesia glabra (Apocynaceae) is aspidospermine, and this has been confirmed by Deulofeu et aJ. who have also found it in V. dichotoma. Later Schlittler and Rottenberg by chromatographic analysis of the mother liquors of aspidospermine isolated a second alkaloid for which they used the old name Vallesine (1948). ... 

This association of sempervirine with yohimbine is of biological interest since the former alkaloid is derived from a plant of the Loganiaceas in which alkaloids of the strychnos group seemed to be characteristic, whereas the yohimbine group of alkaloids have so far only been found in the Apocynaceae and Rubiace c. 

From Thevetia neriifolia Juss., Apocynaceae separation from thevetin B by extraction. 

Such alkaloids can be found particularly in the Myristicaceae, Malpighiaceae, Rutaceae, Apocynaceae, Rubiaceae, Loganiaceae, and Convolvulaceae. Such compounds are also found in mushrooms from the genera Conocybe, Panaeolus, Psilocybe, and Stropharia (Agaricaceae), which where used by the Aztecs of pre-Columbian America for their psilocin. 

Van Beek TA, Verpoorte R, Baerheim Svendsen A, Leeuwenberg AJM, Bisset NG. Tabernaemontana L. (Apocynaceae) A review of its taxonomy, phytochemistry, ethnobotany and pharmacology. J Ethnopharmacol 1984 10 156. 

Most botanists divide the plant family Apocynaceae into three subfamilies Plumerioideae, Cerberoideae, and Echitoideae. Alkaloids have been isolated from species belonging to all of these subfamilies however, indole alkaloids have been found only in the Plumerioideae. This subfamily is further divided into seven tribes, and indole alkaloids are present only in four of these, namely, Carisseae, Tabemaemontaneae, Alstonieae (Plumerieae), and Rau-wolfieae. 

From the leaves of Pandacastrum saccharatum, a species of the Apocynaceae now classified under Tabernaemontana, Das et al. isolated a novel bisindole... 

Apochromatic objectives, 16 471 Apocynaceae, alkaloids in, 2 75 Apodization process, 14 227 apo E gene, and LDL level, 5 136 Apoglucose oxidase (apo-GOD), 14 148 Apolipoprotein B deficiencies, 17 652 Apparel, nylon, 19 766 Apparent bypass... 

Some plant families are especially rich in alkaloids. The Dogbane botanical family (Apocynaceae Lindl., Juss.) is a good example (Table 2). This family is distributed worldwide, especially in tropical and sub-tropical areas. The Dogbane family is a large botanical taxa containing at least 150 genera and 1700 species. Alkaloids are especially abundant in the following... 

Apocynaceae Alstonia macrophylla Talcarpine Pleiocarp amine Alstoumerine 2-O-epiantirhine Alstonerine Alstophyline Macralstonine Alstomacrophyline Villalstonine Alstomacroline Macrocarpamine... 

Terpenoid alkaloids Apocynaceae Skytanthus acutus /3-skytanthin... 

Apocynaceae Holarrhena floribunda Holarrhena antidysenterica Holaphyllamin Conessine... 

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