Strospeside

Cytotoxicity and chromosomal aberrations induced by methanolic extract of Cuscuta reflexa and its pure compounds on meristematic cells of Allium species.[Pubmed:28649079]

Pak J Pharm Sci. 2017 Mar;30(2):521-529.

Cuscuta reflexa (Convolvulaceae), is commonly known as amarbel or akashbel. In Bangladesh and Nepal some of the tribes use C. reflexa against edema, body ache, cancer, skin infections and liver disorders. Despite its traditional uses there is no information regarding genotoxic effects of either the plant extract or its pure compounds. Methanolic extract of C. reflexa (MECR) and pure compounds derived from it namely, odoroside H, neritaloside, and Strospeside, were evaluated in Allium cepa L. and A. sativum L. for their effects on root growth, root apical meristem mitotic index (MI) , and chromosomal aberrations (CAs). In this study, we adopted a new method of calculating percent change in root length. MECR caused a concentration- and time- dependent inhibition in root length at 100 - 10000mug/ml in A. cepa root. It was accompanied by a subsequent decline in MI which is an indicative of its cytotoxic effect. On the contrary, at low concentrations a significant rise in root length was noticeable. In A. sativum, MECR also reduced the root length having IC(50) values ~8 x and 4.3 x lower than A. cepa. A variety of CAs were evident in both Allium systems after treatment with MECR, odoroside H and neritaloside. Thus in MECR, cardenolides glycosides, i.e. odoroside H and neritaloside could be accountable for its genotoxicity.

Cardiovascular activity of a methanolic extract of Digitalis purpurea spp. heywoodii.[Pubmed:10940580]

J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Aug;71(3):437-42.

The paper deals with the effects of a glycosidal extract of Digitalis heywoodii, ssp. of Digitalis purpurea L., (Schrophulariaceae) grown in Badajoz (Spain), on isolated cardiac auricle of rabbits, urinary excretion of rats, as well as its emetic effect in pigeons. These effects using vehicle (propylene glycol-ethanol-water, 40:10:50) and digoxin as standards are presented. The extract at concentrations of 20 and 40 microg/ml produced an increase in the contraction force of auricles in a dose-dependent way. At doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg a slight diuretic and natriuretic effect was observed. The active dose range for emesis was 0.5-4 mg/kg and a decrease of the emesis time within 10 min of injection in dose-dependent manner was obtained. The pharmacological activity of the extract is related to gitoxin derivatives (digitalinum verum and Strospeside), the most abundant compounds obtained from the leaves of Digitalis purpurea spp. heywoodii.

Biotransformation of 5betaH-pregnan-3betaol-20-one and cardenolides in cell suspension cultures of Nerium oleander L.[Pubmed:24232778]

Plant Cell Rep. 1990 Apr;8(11):651-5.

In order to demonstrate enzyme activities playing a role in the biosynthesis of cardenolides and 2,6-dideoxysugars, 5betaH-pregnan-3betaol-20-one and cardenolides (digitoxigenin, oleandrigenin/L-oleandrose, oleandrin, neriifolin, digitoxigeninmonodigitoxoside and Strospeside) were fed to cell suspension cultures of Nerium oleander L.. It could be shown that cell suspension cultures of Nerium oleander L. are able to oxidize, isomerize and glucosylate 5betaH-steroidaglycones at C-3. The respective glucosides of the 5betaH-steroid-aglycones are the main biotransformation products. These cell cultures are an appropriate tool for the production of labelled 5betaH-steroidglucosides.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of secondary cardiac glycosides in Digitalis purpurea leaves.[Pubmed:2808604]

J Chromatogr. 1989 Oct 6;479(2):319-25.

An analytical method for the determination of secondary cardiac glycosides in Digitalis purpurea leaves by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. The procedure consisted of extraction of dry leaf powder with ethanol-chloroform (2:1) and clean-up by Sep-Pak cartridges prior to HPLC analysis. HPLC was performed on an octylsilyl bonded silica column, using acetonitrile-methanol-water (4:4:5) for trisdigitoxosides and acetonitrile-methanol-water (8:30:43) for Strospeside; the effluent was monitored by ultraviolet detection (at 220 nm). Quantitation of these cardiac glycosides was carried out by the internal standard method. The amounts of digitoxin, gitoxin, gitaloxin and Strospeside per 100 mg of dry leaf powder were estimated to be 22.6, 14.0, 54.7 and 1.9 micrograms, respectively. The method is sufficiently sensitive and reproducible to assay secondary glycosides in Digitalis purpurea leaves.

Bio-Transformation of (G-3H)-digitoxin and (G-3H)-digoxin by Digitalis purpurea.[Pubmed:17396954]

Planta Med. 1982 Oct;46(2):113-8.

The biotransformation of (G- (3)H) digitoxin and (G- (3)H) digoxin has been studied in a strain of Digitalis purpurea in which cardenolides of the B series were predominant. A direct method of introducing the tritiated glycosides into the plant is described and the conversions monitored at intervals during the subsequent 6 weeks. Conversion of labelled digitoxin to purpurea glycosides A and B, gitoxin and gitaloxin occurred. Of particular interest was the conversion of digitoxin to the digitalose - containing glycosides, Strospeside and verodoxin. Digoxin, an exogenous glycoside to D. purpurea, was glycosylated to desacetyl lanatoside C; there was some conversion to B and E series glycosides but only minimal formation of A series cardenolides.