S. Ghosal, P. Sharma, R. Chaudhuri
Aug 1, 1974
Citations
0
Influential Citations
29
Citations
Journal
Journal of pharmaceutical sciences
Abstract
Three tetraoxygenated xanthone-O-glucosides-viz., 3,5,8-trihydroxyxanthone-1-O-glucoside (norswertianolin, I), 5,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone-1-O-glucoside (swertianolin, II), and 1,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone-8-O-glucoside (III), were isolated from Swertia purpurascens Wall. (Gentianaceae). The identity of the compounds was established by chemical transformation and by spectral (UV, IR, NMR, and mass) evidence. Among these compounds, III, named isoswertianolin, was not encountered before in nature or prepared synthetically. Swertianolin (II) was previously isolated from S. japonica and S. tosaensis, but its structure was only partially defined until this investigation. Selected pharmacological screening of the total xanthone-O-glucosides of S. purpurascensshowed noteworthy CNS depressant, cardiovascular stimulant, and anticonvulsant activities. The pharmacological profile of activities of these compounds indicated that the curative properties ascribed to the plant extracts, in the Indian system of medicine, are essentially due to the xanthone-O-glucosides. Biochemical significance of the natural occurrence of xanthone-O-glycosides and their therapeutic potentiality were also appraised.