€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ANNALS OF ALLERGY***** Aggarwal PK Kumar L Garg SK Mathur VS Effect of Rumex nepalensis extracts on histamine, acetylcholine, carbachol, bradykinin, and PGs evoked skin reactions in rabbits. In: Ann Allergy (1986 Feb) 56(2):177-82 ISSN: 0003-4738 The antihistaminic, anticholinergic, antibradykinin, and/or antiprostaglandin activity of aqueous and the alcoholic leaf extracts of the plant Rumex nepalensis were tested on the prepared site on the back of rabbits, using a control and a test site. Aqueous extract was found to reduce the mean size of the wheal produced by histamine, acetylcholine, carbachol, and bradykinin. The alcoholic extract reduced the size of the wheal produced by histamine, acetylcholine and carbachol. The results indicate that Rumex nepalensis may have antihistaminic, anticholinergic, and/or antibradykinin activity. Registry Numbers: 363-24-6 (Dinoprostone) 51-45-6 (Histamine) 51-83-2 (Carbachol) 51-84-3 (Acetylcholine) 551-11-1 (Dinoprost) 58-82-2 (Bradykinin) 745-65-3 (Alprostadil) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ACTA PHARMACEUTICA HUNGARICA***** Abd el-Fattah H Gohar A el-Dahmy S Hubaishi A Phytochemical investigation of Rumex luminiastrum. In: Acta Pharm Hung (1994 May) 64(3):83-5 ISSN: 0001-6659 The phytochemical investigation of Rumex luminiastrum Jaub & Spach leaves, stems, flowers and roots revealed the presence of chrysophanol, physcion, emodin, chrysophanin, rheochrysin, and emodin- 8-o-glucoside. In addition, kaempferol-7-o-rhamnoglucoside, quercimeritrin and orientin were isolated and identified. Registry Numbers: 117-39-5 (Quercetin) 1329-27-7 (rheochrysin) 28608-75-5 (orientin) 481-74-3 (chrysophanic acid) 491-50-9 (quercimeritrin) 518-82-1 (Emodin) 520-18-3 (kempferol) 521-61-9 (physcione) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL BULLETIN***** el-Mekkawy S Meselhy MR Kusumoto IT Kadota S Hattori M Namba T Inhibitory effects of Egyptian folk medicines on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reverse transcriptase. In: Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) (1995 Apr) 43(4):641-8 ISSN: 0009-2363 Extracts of 41 medicinal plants used in Egyptian folk medicine were screened for their inhibitory effects on human immunodeficiency virus- 1 reverse transcriptase. The extracts of fruits of Phyllanthus emblica, Quercus pedunculata, Rumex cyprius, Terminalia bellerica, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia horrida showed significant inhibitory activity with IC50 < or = 50 micrograms/ml. Through a bioassay guided-fractionation of the methanol extract of the fruit of P. emblica, putranjivain A (1) was isolated as a potent inhibitory substance with IC50 = 3.9 microM, together with 1,6-di-O-galloyl-beta- D-glucose (2), 1-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (3), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D- glucoside (4), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (5) and digallic acid (6). The inhibitory mode of action by 1, 2 and 6 was non-competitive with respect to the substrate but competitive with respect to a template-primer. Furthermore, the stereochemistry of 1 was established in this paper by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Registry Numbers: EC 2.7.7.- (HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase) EC 2.7.7.49 (RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****INDIAN JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY***** Aggarwal P Garg SK Kumar L Mathur VS Effect of Rumex nepalensis extracts on histamine, acetylcholine and carbachol evoked responses on isolated guinea pig ileum, frog rectus abdominis muscle, rabbit heart and blood pressure of dog. In: Indian J Exp Biol (1985 Aug) 23(8):447-51 ISSN: 0019-5189 [No Abstract Available] Registry Numbers: 306-40-1 (Succinylcholine) 51-45-6 (Histamine) 51-83-2 (Carbachol) 51-84-3 (Acetylcholine) 58-82-2 (Bradykinin) 91-84-9 (Pyrilamine) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY***** Taylor RS Hudson JB Manandhar NP Towers GH Antiviral activities of medicinal plants of southern Nepal. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1996 Aug) 53(2):97-104 ISSN: 0378-8741 In a screening of plants used traditionally in Nepal to treat diseases that could be caused by viruses, twenty-one methanol extracts from twenty species were quantitatively assayed for activity against three mammalian viruses: herpes simplex virus, Sindbis virus and poliovirus. Assays were performed in ultraviolet (UV)-A or visible light, as well as dark, and cytotoxicity was also noted. Impressive antiviral activities were exhibited by species of Bauhinia (Fabaceae), Carissa (Apocynaceae), Milletia (Fabaceae), Mallotus (Fabaceae), Rumex (Polygonaceae), Streblus (Moraceae), Terminalia (Combretaceae) and Tridax (Asteraceae). The Carissa extract was the most active, showing activity against all three viruses at a concentration of 12 micrograms/ml. Many of the other extracts showed partial inactivation of one or more test viruses. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Rivera D Obon C The ethnopharmacology of Madeira and Porto Santo Islands, a review. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1995 May) 46(2):73-93 ISSN: 0378-8741 The ethnopharmacology of Madeira and Porto Santo Islands is extremely interesting because of the cultural and biogeographic features of this region, which make it a centre of medicinal plant diversity (richness of endemic flora, geographical isolation in the Atlantic sea, crosscultural influences, and past abundance of local healers). The medicinal flora of Madeira is composed of 259 species. Some noteworthy medicinal taxa, endemic or locally relevant, are: Acanthus mollis, Aeonium glandulosum, Aeonium glutinosum, Bidens pilosa, Borago officinalis, Chamaemelum nobile var. discoideum, Culcita macrocarpa, Echium nervosum, Euphorbia platiphylla, Helichrysum melaleucum, Helichrysum obconicum, Hypericum glandulosum, Hypericum humifussum, Kleinia repens, Laurus azorica, Monizia edulis, Ocotea foetens, Psoralea bituminosa, Rubus bollei, Rumex maderensis, Sambucus lanceolata, Scilla maderensis, Sedum brissemoretii, Sedum farinosum, Sedum nudum, Sibthorpia peregrina, Teucrium betonicum, Thymus caespititius, Trifolium squamosum and Vaccinium padifolium. Among the medicinal cryptogams, one can underline the parasitic fungus Laurobasidium lauri, which grows on the stems of Laurus azorica and is used as an antirheumatic, haemostatic, emmenagogue, insecticide and analeptic. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Jager AK Hutchings A van Staden J Screening of Zulu medicinal plants for prostaglandin-synthesis inhibitors. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1996 Jun) 52(2):95-100 ISSN: 0378-8741 Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of 39 plants used in traditional Zulu medicine to treat headache or inflammatory diseases were screened for prostaglandin-synthesis inhibitors. Extracts were tested in an in vitro assay for cyclooxygenase inhibitors. In general, ethanolic extracts caused higher inhibition than aqueous extracts. Two-thirds of the plants screened had high inhibitory activity. The highest inhibition was obtained with ethanolic extracts of Bidens pilosa, Eucomis autumnalis, Harpephyllum caffrum, Helichrysum nudifolium, Leonotis intermedia, L. leonorus, Ocotea bullata, Rumex saggitatus, Solanum mauritianum, Synadenium cupulare and Trichilia dregeana. Registry Numbers: 53-86-1 (Indomethacin) 64-17-5 (Alcohol, Ethyl) 7732-18-5 (Water) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PHYTOCHEMISTRY***** Hasan A Ahmed I Jay M Voirin B Flavonoid glycosides and an anthraquinone from Rumex chalepensis. In: Phytochemistry (1995 Jul) 39(5):1211-3 ISSN: 0031-9422 Besides rutin, quercetin 3-rhamnoside and kaempferol 3-rhamnosyl(1-- >6) galactoside, a new flavonol glycoside, quercetin 3-glucosyl(1-- >4)galactoside, and 1,6,8-trihydroxy-3-methyl anthraquinone (emodin) have been characterized from leaves of Rumex chalepensis. The structures were established on the basis of Rf values, acid hydrolysis to aglycone and sugar and UV, EI and FAB-mass spectra, 1H NMR, 13C DEPT NMR, NOE difference measurement, 1H-H COSY and 1H-13C COSY spectral data. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€