€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ARCHIV FUR EXPERIMENTELLE VETERINARMEDIZIN***** Shabana MM Mirhom YW Genenah AA Aboutabl EA Amer HA Study into wild Egyptian plants of potential medicinal activity. Ninth communication: hypoglycaemic activity of some selected plants in normal fasting and alloxanised rats. In: Arch Exp Veterinarmed (1990) 44(3):389-94 ISSN: 0003-9055 31 desert plants belonging to 17 families were collected from different Egyptian localities. 21 plants extracts were orally given to normal rats, and 15 were tested on fasted and to alloxanised rats. The results were compared with a standard oral hypoglycaemic drug (Daonil, Hoechst) used as a positive control. The following findings were obtained: 8 plants exhibited persistent hypoglycaemic effects, Lycium shawii, Salvia (S.) aegyptiaca, Pergularia tomentosa, Convolvulus (C.) althaeoides, Haloxylon salicornicum, Ephedra alata, Scrophularia deserti, and Crotalaria aegyptiaca. Transient hypoglycaemic effects appeared only 1 hour after administration in response to 4 plants, Silena succulenta, Lygos raetam, C. lanatus, and Pulicaria incisa. In the cases of Ochradenus baccatus and Zygophyllum album, slow hypoglycaemic activity was produced and appeared 3 hours after administration. 5 plants showed hypoglycaemic effects viz, Thymus capitatus, Launaea nudicaulis, Conyza dioscorides, Nitraria retusa, and Limonium tubiflorum. Among the 15 plant extracts tested on alloxanised diabetic rats only 4 showed hypoglycaemic effects more potent than those of the administered dose of Daonil. These were Matthiola livida, S. aegyptiaca, Astragalus species, and Arthrocnemum glaucum. The hypoglycaemic effect of S. aegyptiaca in fasting rats has been confirmed also in alloxanised diabetic animals. This emphasises the importance of conducting both experiments in order to obtain a reliable conclusion. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PHARMAZIE***** Lenfeld J Motl O Trka A Anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from Conyza canadensis. In: Pharmazie (1986 Apr) 41(4):268-9 ISSN: 0031-7144 The petroleum ether and ethanolic extract from the epigean part of Conyza canadensis exhibits a significant anti-inflammatory effect on rats with a carrageenin and formalin oedema. Eight sesquiterpenic hydrocarbons with the highest anti-inflammatory activity were found in the petroleum ether fraction (beta-santalene, beta-himachalene, cuparene, alpha-curcumene, gamma-cadinene and three other unidentified hydrocarbons). Of these substances, beta-himachalene was further studied and its anti-inflammatory activity was demonstrated. Registry Numbers: 50-00-0 (Formaldehyde) 9000-07-1 (Carrageenan) *****PLANTA MEDICA***** Mata R Rojas A Acevedo L Estrada S Calzada F Rojas I Bye R Linares E Smooth muscle relaxing flavonoids and terpenoids from Conyza filaginoides. In: Planta Med (1997 Feb) 63(1):31-5 ISSN: 0032-0943 Activity-guided fractionation of the smooth muscle relaxing, chloroform-methanol (1:1) extract of Conyza filaginoides (D.C.) Hieron (Asteraceae) led to the isolation of three flavonoids (quercetin 3-glucoside, rutin, and pinostrobin), one sterol (alpha- spinasterol), a sesquiterpenoid (beta-caryophyllene 4,5-alpha-oxide), and two triterpenoids (erythrodiol and 3-beta-tridecanoyloxy-28- hydroxyolean-12-ene). 3-beta-Tridecanoyloxy-28-hydroxy-olean-12-ene is a new naturally occurring terpenoid. All the isolated compounds induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of the spontaneous contractions of rat ileum. The spasmolytic activity exhibited by the extract and active principles tends to support the traditional use of C filaginoides as an antispasmodic agent. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€