Sci. Pharm., Volume 71, Issue 1 (March 2003) – 5 articles , Pages 1-38

Investigations with solid sampling gaschromatography of separate leaves and of hydrodistilled oil of Juniperus communis L. var. saxatilis Pall. growing in Norway at an altitude of 1000-1300 m above sea level, showed a terpinen-4-ol content varying from traces to about 1 % in separate leaves and up to 16-17% in hydrodistilled oil of uncomminuted leaves and twigs. Full article

The effect of desferrioxamine (DFO) in different vehicle ( Aqueous and oily) against hepatotoxicity induced by carbon tetrachloride (CC1₄) in irradiated mice and irradiated carbon tetrachloride (IR-CCI₄) in normal mice was investigated. A single dose of CC1₄ and IR-CCI₄ (20 @/kg, i.p.) in irradiated mice (IR-mice) and normal mice induced hepatotoxicrty, manifested biochemically by significant elevation of serum enzyme activities, such as alanine trarsaminase (ALT, EC:2.6.1.2 ) and aspartate transaminase (AST, EC:2.6.1.1). Hepatotoxiaty was further evidenced by significant decrease of total sulfttydryl (-SH) content, and catalase (EC: 1.1 1.1.6) activrty in hepatic tissues and significant increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation measured as malondialdhyde (MDA). Pretreatment of normal mice and IR-mice with DFO (200 mg/kg i.p dissolved either in water or arachis oil vehicle) 1 h before CC1₄ or IR-CC1₄ injection ameliorated the hepatotoxicrty as evidenced by a significant reduction in the elevated levels of serum enzymes as well as a significant decrease in the hepatic MDA content and a significant increase in the total sulfhydryl content 24 h after CC1₄ or IR-CCI₄ administration.. These results indicated that both of oily and watery DFO can effectively ameliorated the hepatotoxicity induced by CC1₄ in IR-mice or IR-CC1₄ in normal mice. Although, the efficiency of the hepatoprotective effect of DFO in oily vehicle was higher than that DFO in aqueous vehicle. The hepatoprotective effect of DFO possibly through inhibition of the production of oxygen free radicals that cause lipid peroxidation. Full article

A series of novel quinoxaline derivatives linked to a pyridine moiety through phenylamino or phenoxy residue was synthesized and evaluated as candidate anticonvulsants. The synthesis was achieved through reaction of 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline (1) with an equimolar amount of 4-aminoacetophenone to give compound 2 which is considered as an important synthon for the construction of a pyridine ring via several synthetic routs. Some compounds were synthesized through formation of the intermediate α,β-unsaturated compounds which, in turn, were allowed to react with malononitrile to give the corresponding alkoxypyridines (8-17). Compounds 18-21 were synthesized by a one-pot simple reaction between 2, the appropriate aldehyde, and malononitrile in sodium alkoxide solution. Moreover, they can be synthesized through reaction of compound 2 and arylidenemalononitrile in sodium alkoxide. The phenoxy analogues were prepared by reaction of 1 with 4-hydroxyacetophenone or 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde to give 22 and 27, respectively. These compounds, in turn, were allowed to react with malononitrile and the proper carbonyl compound in presence of sodium alkoxide in a one-pot reaction technique to give the target compounds. Biological evaluation of the prepared compounds showed that some of them are potent anticonvulsant agents. The detailed synthesis, spectroscopic and biological data are reported. Full article

The uptake of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn into the leaves and roots of Datura stramonium and Hyoseyamus niger, grown in nutrient solutions, is measured by Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (DPASV). In the leaves of the plants only the contents of Cd and Zn, not those ofPb and Cu, increase by adding these ions to the medium. Full article