CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS laxatives

ABSTRACT Quinones constitute a structurally diverse class of phenolic compounds with a w ide range of pharmacologial properties, which are the basis for different applications in the broad field of pharmacy and medicine. In traditional medicine all over the world, plants which are rich in quinones are used for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Besides the classical applications of these plants in industry (dyestuffs) and pharmaceutical (laxatives) practice, the relatively new field of biologically active quinones will be discussed. This review gives an account of the work done on naturally occurring bioactive quinones from 1992 to the present date. The biological activity detected in quinones from natural and synthetic sources has been discussed in relation to chemical structure under the respective titles. 

The anthranoid compounds, which can be chemically described as dihydroxy-anthraquinones, -dianthrones and -anthrones, possess a laxative... 

Potassium bitartrate also has a number of other uses. It can be used as a laxative for both humans and domestic animals. It is used in the processing of some metals, giving a colored tinge to the final product. The compound is also an ingredient in products used to clean brass, copper, aluminum, and other metals. And it is used in the chemical industry as a raw material for the preparation of other tartrate compounds. 

Across the series of compounds, the trend in AHf° is of a decrease in exothermic nature from LaXs to LuXs with AHf varying from -1071.6kJmol (La) to —987.1 kJmol (Lu). Simple thermo chemical cycles for AHf° for LnXs lead to the expression shown in equation (5). 

Anthranoid compounds are widely distributed in various plants particularly in Aloe, Cassia, Rheum, Cassia and Frangula, which are traditionally used in ethnomedi-cine for laxative and cathartic action (Paneitz and Westendorf 1999). Naturally occurring anthranoids can be chemically described as dihydroxyanthraquinones, -dianthrones and -anthrones, often present in plants as glycones (Table 1.2 Paneitz... 

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