€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY***** Xu R Zhao W Xu J Shao B Qin G Studies on bioactive saponins from Chinese medicinal plants. In: Adv Exp Med Biol (1996) 404:371-82 ISSN: 0065-2598 In our recent studies on bioactive saponins, two Chinese medicinal plants: Mussaenda pubescens Ait.f (Rubiaceae) and Clematis chinensis Osbeck (Ranunculaceae), were investigated. Of the two medicinal plants, M. pubescens is a Chinese folk medicine which has been used as a diuretic, antiphlogistic, diaphoretic and antipyretic agent, and has also been used to detoxify mushroom poisons and to terminate early pregnancy. Clematis chinensis is a Chinese traditional medicine which has been used as an analgesic, diuretic, antitumor, antiinflammatory and insecticidal agent for ages. As a result of our studies, eighteen saponins were identified from M. pubescens, among which seventeen were new compounds, while eleven saponins were isolated from C. chinensis, three of which were new compounds. In the course of our structural studies, mass fragment analysis in FAB-mass spectra and 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra were used to determine the structures of the sapogenin and oligosaccharide moieties. In those more complicated and minor saponins, various 2D-NMR experiments were carried out on 400-, 500- or 600-MHz NMR instruments, which permitted the identification of new sapogenins in glycoside form. In addition, it was also possible to assign all the proton and carbon signals of the sugar units on the basis of 1H-1H DQF COSY, TOCSY and HMQC spectra, which further permitted the establishment of linkage sites and sequences among the sugar units and aglycones by means of NOESY, ROESY and HMBC spectra. When the proton signals of sugar units are overlapped seriously in 1H-NMR spectra, peracetylation is a very helpful technique which can spread proton signals in wider range, thus simplifying their assignment by means of 2D-NMR spectra. When some of the sugar proton signals of a peracetylate are also overlapped coincidentally, alternation of deuterated solvents for measuring NMR spectra can circumvent the difficulties. Pharmacological tests indicated that mussaendoside O, the most abundant saponin from M. pubescens, can inhibit significantly the secretions of the lachrymal and salivary glands induced by galanthamine, and can also inhibit the contraction of the isolated longitudinal muscle strip from guinea pig ileum evoked by an M-Ach receptor agonist (carbachol, 10(-6) M) at concentrations of 10(-4) and 10(-5) M. From these results, the saponin should be an antagonist of the M-Ach receptor, and was presumed to be responsible for its antitoxicity activity toward some mushroom poisons of medicinal plant origin. In addition, mussaendoside O also showed immunopromotive and hemolytic activities. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE***** Ho CS Wong YH Chiu KW The hypotensive action of Desmodium styracifolium and Clematis chinensis. In: Am J Chin Med (1989) 17(3-4):189-202 ISSN: 0192-415X The cardiovascular pharmacology of aqueous extracts of Desmodium styracifolium (DSE) and Clematis chinensis (CCE) were studied in rats both in vivo and in vitro. DSE produced two successive hypotensive actions: the first one via cholinergic receptor stimulation, while the second one potentiated by blockades of autonomic ganglion and alpha-adrenoceptor. In contrast to DSE, CCE produced only one hypotensive response which was mediated through histaminergic activity. Furthermore, both extracts relaxed isolated methoxamine preconstricted helical tail artery strips. CCE also produced both negative chronotropic and inotropic effects on isolated atria, while DSE was positive chronotropic without apparent effect on the contractile force. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Chiu HF Lin CC Yang CC Yang F The pharmacological and pathological studies on several hepatic protective crude drugs from Taiwan (I). In: Am J Chin Med (1988) 16(3-4):127-37 ISSN: 0192-415X This study is to investigate the hepatic protective effect of several Taiwan crude drug extractions on the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)- induced hepatotoxicity in rats. The pharmacological and pathological effects of Bupleurum chinense, Phellodendron wilsonii, Clematis chinensis and Hedyotis corymbosa were analyzed by liver enzyme function test and pathological studies. However, the results of amine transferase SGOT and SGPT have shown a significant hepatic protective effect after treatment with Bupleurum chinense (P less than 0.005), Phellodendron wilsonii (P less than 0.001), Clematis chinensis (P less than 0.005) and Hedyotis corymbosa (P less than 0.005, SGPT only). The fatty degeneration around the central vein area and necrosis of the central lobule can be significantly improved by P. wilsonii and moderately changed by B. chinense or C. chinensis. Although fatty metamorphosis has been affected by H. corymbosa, various inflammatory cell infiltrations in the cytoplasm were noted. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN***** Kizu H Shimana H Tomimori T Studies on the constituents of Clematis species. VI. The constituents of Clematis stans Sieb. et Zucc. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1995 Dec) 43(12):2187-94 ISSN: 0009-2363 From the roots of Clematis stans three new oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins named clemastanoside A, B and C, and two new lignan glycosides named clemastanin A and B, have been isolated together with three known triterpenoid saponins, huzhangoside B, C and D, and three known lignan glycosides, (+)-lariciresinol 4-O-beta-D- glucopyranoside, (+)-lariciresinol 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and (+)-pinoresinol 4,4'-O-bis-beta-D-glucopyranoside. In addition, from the leaves, four new oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins, named clemastanoside D, E, F and G, have been isolated together with five known triterpenoid saponins, hederasaponin B, kizutasaponin K12, huzhangoside B, sieboldianoside B and huzhangoside D, and three known flavonoids, isoquercitrin, rutin and quercetin 3-O-beta-D- glucuronopyranoside. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated based on chemical and physicochemical evidence as follows: clemastanoside A, 3-O-beta-D-ribopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-a lpha-L- arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28- O-(4-O-acetyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl- (1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (terminal rhamnosyl 4-O-acetate of huzhangoside B); clemastanoside B and C, 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl- and 3-O-beta-D-ribopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)- beta-D-galactopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl- (1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl- (1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, respectively; clemastanoside D, 3-O-beta-D-ribopyranosyl-(1-->3)- alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl- (1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester; clemastanoside E, F and G, terminal rhamnosyl 4-O-, 3-O- and 2-O-acetate of 3-O-beta-D-ribopyranosyl-(1-- >3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-a lpha-L- arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta- D- glucopyranosyl ester, respectively; clemastanin A, (7S,8R)-3-methoxy-3',4,9,9'-tetrahydroxy-4',7-epoxy- 5',8-lignan 3'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside; clemastanin B, (+)- lariciresinol 4,4'-O-bis-beta-D-glucopyranoside. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ **CHUNG-KUO CHUNG YAO TSA CHIH CHINA JOURNAL OF CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA* Jiang B Liao X Jia X Ye X Ding J Yu X Wu Y [Studies and comparisons on chemical components of essential oils from Clematis hexapetala Pall. and Inula nervosa Wall.] In: Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih (1990 Aug) 15(8):488-90, 512 ISSN: 1001-5302 (Published in Chinese) Chemical components of the essential oils from clematis hexapetala and Inula nervosa were analyzed by using GC-MS-DS. The result shows that the major components of the essential oil from Inula nervosa are thymol and thymol isobutyrate, while the major components of the essential oil from Clematis hexapetala are palmitic acid and 3- hydroxy-4-methoxyl benzaldehyde. Registry Numbers: 89-83-8 (Thymol) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Song Z Zhao Y Duan J Wang X [Chemical constituents of Clematis intricata Bunge] In: Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih (1995 Oct) 20(10):613-4, 640 ISSN: 1001-5302 (Published in Chinese) Five compounds were isolated from the aerial part of Clematis intricata for the first time. On the basis of spectral data (UV, IR, MS, 1HNMR and 13CNMR), they were identified as scopoletin, caffeic acid, inositol, 1-tria-contanol and beta-sitosterol. Registry Numbers: 6917-35-7 (Inositol) 92-61-5 (Scopoletin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Cai YD Gong JW Can JR Yai LS [Quality assessment of the Chinese traditional drug weilingxian by artificial neural network] In: Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih (1993 Sep) 18(9):518-20, 573 ISSN: 1001-5302 (Published in Chinese) The artificial neural network was used for the assessment of a group of Chinese traditional drug Weilingxian (the roots of Clematis). The results showed a successful rate of 100%. This approach has better fault-tolerance ability and grester speed of prediction. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY***** Caceres A Menendez H Mendez E Cohobon E Samayoa BE Jauregui E Peralta E Carrillo G Antigonorrhoeal activity of plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1995 Oct) 48(2):85-8 ISSN: 0378-8741 Plants popularly used in Guatemala for the treatment of gonorrhoea were macerated in 50% alcohol and the tincture tested for in vitro activity against Neisseria gonorrhoeae using strains isolated from symptomatic patients and confirmed by standard bacteriological procedures. From 46 plants investigated, 13 (28.3%) showed evident inhibition zones (> 9 mm), seven (15.2%) showed small activity (6.1- 8.9 mm) and 26 (56.5%) showed no activity; nine of these plants inhibited five strains of N. gonorrhoea freshly isolated. The most active plants of American origin were: bark of Bixa orellana fruits of Parmentiera edulis, leaf of Diphysa robinioides, Eupatorium odoratum, Gliricidia sepium, Physalis angulata, Piper aduncum and Prosopis juliflora, root of Casimiroa edulis, and whole Clematis dioica. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PHYTOCHEMISTRY***** Shao B Qin G Xu R Wu H Ma K Triterpenoid saponins from Clematis chinensis. In: Phytochemistry (1995 Apr) 38(6):1473-9 ISSN: 0031-9422 From the roots of Clematis chinensis, two new triterpenoid saponins, named clematichinenoside A and B, were isolated and their structures were elucidated as 3-O-beta-D-ribopyranosyl-(1-3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)-alpha -L- arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O- beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-4)-beta- D-ribopyranosyl-(1-3)-alpha-L - rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)-alpha-L- arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-4)-beta- D-glucopyranosyl-(1-6)- beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, respectively. In addition oleanolic acid, hederagenin and seven known saponins were obtained. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Thapliyal RP Bahuguna RP Clemontanoside-C, a saponin from Clematis montana. In: Phytochemistry (1993 Jun) 33(3):671-3 ISSN: 0031-9422 Clemontanoside-C, a new hederagenin-based saponin isolated from the stems of Clematis montana, was identified by chemical and spectroscopic methods as hederagenin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl (1- 3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside. Registry Numbers: 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) 80666-65-5 (clemontanoside C) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Thapliyal RP Bahuguna RP An oleanolic acid based bisglycoside from Clematis montana roots. In: Phytochemistry (1993 Oct) 34(3):861-2 ISSN: 0031-9422 Clemontanoside F, a new triterpenic bisglycoside from the roots of Clematis montana, has been characterized as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl- 28-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-r hamnopyranosyl (1-->)]- beta-D-glucopyranosyl-3beta-hydroxy-olean-12-en-28- oate. Registry Numbers: 154278-77-0 (clemontanoside F) 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Sati OP Uniyal SK Bahuguna S Kikuchi T Clematoside-S, a triterpenoid saponin from the roots of Clematis grata. In: Phytochemistry (1990) 29(11):3676-8 ISSN: 0031-9422 Clematoside-S, a new triterpenoid saponin from the roots of Clematis grata, has been identified by chemical and spectroscopic methods as hederagenin-3-O-beta-D-ribopyranosyl (1----3)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl(1----2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside. Registry Numbers: 508-02-1 (Oleanolic Acid) 72629-76-6 (clematoside S) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Shao B Qin G Xu R Wu H Ma K Saponins from Clematis chinensis. In: Phytochemistry (1996 Jun) 42(3):821-5 ISSN: 0031-9422 From ethanol extracts of the roots of Clematis chinensis, a new saponin, named clematichinenoside C, was isolated and its structure was established as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-4)-beta-D- ribopyranosyl-(1-3)-alpha-L - rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)-alpha-L- arabinopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-4)- beta-D-glucopyranosyl- (1-6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester by spectroscopic and chemical means. In addition, one known saponin, huzhongoside B, was identified in the plant. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****YAO HSUEH HSUEH PAO [ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA]***** Wei MJ Luo X Wang X Zhu JS [Study of chemical pattern recognition as applied to quality assessment of the traditional Chinese medicine "wei ling xian"] In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1991) 26(10):772-6 ISSN: 0513-4870 (Published in Chinese) Chemical pattern recognition was applied to the quality assessment of the traditional Chinese medicine "wei ling xian". The dried roots and rhizomes of Clematis chinensis Osbeck, Clematis hexapetalo Pall, and Clematis manshurica Rupr, 21 samples of "wei ling xian" of six different species which were collected from different regions of China, were extracted with methanol. The extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography and the GC data of "wei Ling xian" samples were correlated with their anti-inflammatory activity in pharmacologic experiments. Positive anti-inflammatory activity is regarded as the quality assurance of medicinal "wei ling xian". According to the results, the samples were classified as two groups, one having and the other not having distinct anti-inflammatory activity at the 5% significance level. Some samples were used as the training set, while some as the test set. The SIMCA program was used for the extraction of features and classification, whereas the PCA program for displaying the data in a two-dimensional space. The quality of unknown samples of "Wei Ling Xian" can be assessed as a result of the classification or the two-dimensional display. Registry Numbers: 34466-20-1 (Ribose) 50-99-7 (Glucose) 69-65-8 (Mannitol) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€