€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY*****
Nadir A Agrawal S King PD Marshall JB
Acute hepatitis associated with the use of a Chinese herbal product, ma-
huang
[see comments]
In: Am J Gastroenterol (1996 Jul) 91(7):1436-8
ISSN: 0002-9270
Herbal medicines are widely perceived by the public as being healthful
and
innocuous. A number of herbal medicines have now been linked with
hepatotoxicity. We report a case of acute hepatitis associated with the
use of
ma-huang, a herbal product derived from plants of the Ephedra species,
which is
advertised as being useful for causing weight loss and enhancing energy
levels.
Given the lack of reports in the literature of hepatotoxicity with ma-
huang and
ephedrine, we speculate that the ma-huang product our patient took
contained
some other ingredient or contaminant or was misidentified. Our report and
others
in the literature, which we review, indicate that the clinician should
consider
herbal medicines as a possible cause of unexplained liver injury.
Registry Numbers:
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
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*****EMBO JOURNAL*****
Malek O Lattig K Hiesel R Brennicke A Knoop V
RNA editing in bryophytes and a molecular phylogeny of land plants.
In: EMBO J (1996 Mar 15) 15(6):1403-11
ISSN: 0261-4189
RNA editing has been observed to date in all groups of vascular plants,
but not
in bryophytes. Its occurrence was therefore assumed to correlate with the
evolution of tracheophytes. To gain more insight into both the phylogeny
of
early land plants and the evolution of mitochondrial RNA editing we have
investigated a number of vascular and non-vascular plant species.
Contrary to
the belief that editing is absent from bryophytes, here we report
mitochondrial
RNA editing in cox3 mRNA of the liverwort Pellia epiphylla, the mosses
Tetraphis
pellucida and Ceratodon purpureus and the hornwort Anthroceros crispulus.
RNA
editing in plants consequently predates the evolution of tracheophytes.
Editing
is also found in the eusporangiate ferns Ophioglossum petiolatum and
Angiopteris
palmiformis, the whisk fern Tmesipteris elongata and the gnetopsid
Ephedra
gerardiana, but was not detected in Gnetum gnemon.cox3 mRNA of the
lycopsid
Isoetes lacustris shows the highest frequency of RNA editing ever
observed in a
plant, with 39% of all cytidine residues converted to uridines. The
frequency of
RNA editing correlates with the genomic GC content rather than with the
phylogenetic position of a species. Phylogenetic trees derived from the
slowly
evolving mitochondrial sequences find external support from the
assessments of
classical systematics.
Registry Numbers:
EC 1.9.3.1 (Cytochrome-c Oxidase)
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*****ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY*****
Rogers PL Shin HS Wang B
Biotransformation for L-ephedrine production.
In: Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol (1997) 56:33-59
ISSN: 0724-6145
L-ephedrine is widely used in pharmaceutical preparations as a
decongestant and
anti-asthmatic compound. One of the key intermediates in its production
is
L-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC) which can be obtained either from plants
(Ephedra
sp.), chemical synthesis involving resolution of a racemic mixture, or by
biotransformation of benzaldehyde using various yeasts. In the present
review,
recent significant improvements in the microbial biotransformation are
assessed
for both fed-batch and continuous processes using free and immobilised
yeasts.
From previous fed-batch culture data, maximal levels of L-PAC of 10-12
gl-1 were
reported with yields of 55-60% theoretical based on benzaldehyde.
However,
recently concentrations of more than 22 gl-1 have been obtained using a
wild-type strain of Candida utilis. This has been achieved through
optimal
control of yeast metabolism (via microprocessor control of the
respiratory
quotient, RQ) in order to enhance substrate pyruvate production and
induce
pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) activity. Processes involving purified PDC
have
also been evaluated and it has been demonstrated that L-PAC levels up to
28 gl-1
can be obtained with yields of 90-95% theoretical based on the
benzaldehyde
added. In the review the advantages and disadvantages of the various
strategies
for the microbial and enzymatic production of L-PAC are compared. In view
of the
increasing interest in microbial biotransformations, L- PAC production
provides
an interesting example of enhancement through on-line control of a
process
involving both toxic substrate (benzaldehyde) and end-product (L-PAC,
benzyl
alcohol) inhibition.
Registry Numbers:
EC 4.1.1.1 (Pyruvate Decarboxylase)
100-52-7 (benzaldehyde)
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
67-64-1 (Acetone)
90-63-1 (1-hydroxy-1-phenyl-2-propanone)
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*****AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE*****
Mahdihassan S Mehdi FS
Soma of the Rigveda and an attempt to identify it.
In: Am J Chin Med (1989) 17(1-2):1-8
ISSN: 0192-415X
Ephedra juice is used as the drink of longevity given even to the new
born. This
is an Aryan custom mentioned in Rigveda and followed even by the Romans.
To
trace the history of this custom would lead to identifying Soma =
Ephedra. The
original species of Ephedra or Soma proper would be Ephedra sinica, the
Chinese
plant. It is the one species with yellow stalks. This has been
illustrated so
that it confirms Rigveda speaking of Soma as "golden yellow." The name
Soma is
also a loan word from Chinese meaning "fire-yellow fibers of hemp." The
plant
Soma is described as "thousand boughs" and photographic evidence has been
offered in support. Each stalk is rod- like resembling an arrow as
Rigveda
speaks of it. An illustration has been offered to show the plant with
stalks
which are straight and rod- like, comparable with an arrow.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****AMERICAN JOURNAL OF NEPHROLOGY*****
Chan EL Ahmed TM Wang M Chan JC
History of medicine and nephrology in Asia.
In: Am J Nephrol (1994) 14(4-6):295-301
ISSN: 0250-8095
The beginning of Chinese medicine has been attributed to 3 mythical
emperors who
gathered herbs for medicines. During the 2nd century BC, Han dynasty
physicians
developed cranial trephining and sedation with wine and herbs for
anesthesia.
Chiang Chung-Ching (142-212 AD) used the appearance of rashes in
diagnosis,
treated infections with anthelmintics and asthma with ephedra, described
the
symptoms of diabetes mellitus and expanded medical ethics. The
specialties of
obstetrics, pediatrics, ophthalmology and dentistry were described in the
records of the Han and Tang dynasties, and methods of setting fractures
and
treating trauma were comparable with those of Roman military doctors.
Shen Tua
(1031-1095 AD) compiled a pharmacopeia and studied acupuncture and the
pulses.
Forensic medicine was developed during the 10th century by Sung Tse, who
also
advocated hand washing with sulfur and vinegar to avoid infection during
autopsies. The Daoist physicians used androgens and estrogens to treat
hypogonadism with therapeutic preparations of placentas. They also had an
advanced knowledge of alchemy, claiming to achieve 'immortality' by their
preservation techniques. Qualifying examinations for physicians were
conducted
by the Chinese state as early as the 1st century AD, and later
incorporated
philosophy and art to conform with the Confucian ideal. Throughout these
eras,
Chinese medicine profited from contact with western Asia. In ancient
Chinese
medicine, the excretory function of the kidney was attributed to the
bladder.
'Kidney weakness', which refers to somatized depression, was treated by
acupuncture along the 'kidney channel'. Pulse examination was also used
to give
a measure of the imbalance of renal Yin and Yang.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
250
WORDS)
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*****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.
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*****BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA*****
Melekhovets YuF Troitsky AV
Comparative analysis of 5.8 S rRNA from Ephedra kokanica Regl.
(Gymnospermae)
and other plant species.
In: Biochim Biophys Acta (1990 Apr 6) 1048(2-3):294-6
ISSN: 0006-3002
5.8 S rRNA from the gymnosperm Ephedra kokanica Regl. (EMBL Data Library
accession No. X15676) has been sequenced. It is 161 nucleotides long and
contains three 2'-O-methylated residues--two adenosines and one
guanosine. No
pseudouridine have been detected. E. kokanica 5.8 S rRNA, as those from
other
plant species, can form a secondary structure with paired 5'- and 3'-
terminal
regions. 5.8 S rRNAs of seed plants differ from the moss Mnium reguicum
5.8 S
rRNA in that they have longer variable 'GC-rich' hairpins with insertions
in the
loop region. 5.8 S rRNA of E. kokanica reveals 69 and 82% of homology
with that
of moss and five angiosperm species, respectively. The
posttranscriptional
modification pattern of plant 5.8 S rRNAs is not strictly conservative.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****CANCER LETTERS*****
Tricker AR Wacker CD Preussmann R
Nitrosation products from the plant Ephedra altissima and their potential
endogenous formation.
In: Cancer Lett (1987 May) 35(2):199-206
ISSN: 0304-3835
The plant species Ephedra is commonly used in both folk medicine and for
the
preparation of health teas. Nitrosation of a tea made from Ephedra
altissima
yielded N-nitrosoephedrine (NEP), N- nitrosopseudoephedrine (NPEP),
N-nitrosoproline (NPRO), N- nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA), trace
quantities of
2 unidentified non-volatile nitrosamines and the new nitroso compound
2-(N-nitroso-N- methylamino)propiophenone (NMAP). Incubation of a tea
extract at
37 degrees C and pH 2.0 under conditions simulating the normal fasting
stomach
with a constant nitrite concentration (25 microM) for 1 h produced NEP,
NPEP,
NMAP and NPRO. The synthesis and preliminary results for the mutagenic
effect of
NMAP on the reversion of Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA1535
in the
Ames test are reported.
Registry Numbers:
110505-04-9 (2-(N-nitroso-N-methylamino)propiophenone)
17608-59-2 (N-nitrosoephedrine)
62-75-9 (Dimethylnitrosamine)
7519-36-0 (nitrosoproline)
937-40-6 (nitrosobenzylmethylamine)
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Alwan SM Al-Hindawi MK Abdul-Rahman SK Al-Sarraj S
Production of nitrosamines from ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and extracts
of
Ephedra foliata under physiological conditions.
In: Cancer Lett (1986 May) 31(2):221-6
ISSN: 0304-3835
N-Nitrosoephedrine (NEP) and N-nitrosopseudoephedrine (NPEP) were
synthesised at
5 degrees C using different concentrations of various acids. The reaction
with
acetic acid gave the highest yield (85%) of N-nitrosamine. Ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine were reacted with nitrite under physiological conditions
(37
degrees C, pH 1-3) to form NEP and NPEP. The yield of NEP, which is a
known
carcinogen, and NPEP were the highest (18.5%) at pH 2. Aqueous and
alcoholic
extracts of Ephedra foliata (100 g dry wt), nitrosated under
physiological
conditions, produced 0.77 mg and 8.3 mg, respectively, as total
nitrosamines.
This indicated the potential of the nitrosamine formation from the plant
extracts specified.
Registry Numbers:
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
7632-00-0 (Sodium Nitrite)
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*****CHUNG-KUO CHUNG HSI I CHIEH HO TSA CHIH*****
Wang GZ Hikokichi O
[Experimental study in treating chronic renal failure with dry extract
and
tannins of herba ephedra]
In: Chung Kuo Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih (1994 Aug) 14(8):485-8
ISSN: 1003-5370 (Published in Chinese)
The effects of dry extract and tannin of Herba Ephedra on adenine-
induced
chronic renal failure in rats and their mechanisms of action have been
studied.
Dry extract of Herba Ephedra in dose of 10 mg, 20 mg and 30 mg/d with
adenine
(for 24 days) were administered to rats. After inducing renal failure (34
days),
it reduced toxins in blood significantly. The action of 30 mg-dose was
highly
significant, BUN decreased by 37%, creatinine (Cr) 35%, methylguanidine
(MG)
76%, guanidinosuccinic acid 83%, blood phosphate 39%, while blood calcium
raised
for 28%. But in 25mg and 45mg-dose, MG in urine decreased by 49%-65%. The
mechanisms of action might be including (1) Inhibiting the production of
Cr; (2)
Inhibiting the production of hydroxyl free radical, blocking the
conversion of
Cr into creatol, thereby reducing, the production of MG from creatol. In
conclusion, dry extract of Herba ephedra could improve renal function in
adenine- induced chronic renal failure in rats, correct Ca and P
disorder, and
especially inhibit the production of MG. Fraction 2 and fraction 3 of
Ephedra
tannin had no effect on this renal failure model.
Registry Numbers:
471-29-4 (Methylguanidine)
73-24-5 (Adenine)
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**CHUNG-KUO CHUNG YAO TSA CHIH CHINA JOURNAL OF CHINESE MATERIA MEDICA*
Zeng Q Liu C Lou G Zheng L Jiang H
[Volatile oil in Ephedra sinica Stapf. and its processed products by GC-
MS]
In: Chung Kuo Chung Yao Tsa Chih (1992 Feb) 17(2):83-7, 126
ISSN: 1001-5302 (Published in Chinese)
This paper deals with the changes in contents and chemical composition in
the
volatile oil of Ephedra sinica before and after processing. The results
indicate
that after processing, the more the substances of low boiling point, the
higher
their contents and vice versa. The changes are particularly obvious in
yellow-fried Ephedra sinica.
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*****CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY*****
Ling M Piddlesden SJ Morgan BP
A component of the medicinal herb ephedra blocks activation in the
classical and
alternative pathways of complement.
In: Clin Exp Immunol (1995 Dec) 102(3):582-8
ISSN: 0009-9104
Extracts of the herb Ephedra sinica have long been used in traditional
Chinese
medicine for the treatment of, among other conditions, acute nephritis.
In
preliminary studies it was shown that extracts of ephedra caused
inhibition of
complement in vitro. We thus set out to isolate the active component(s)
of this
herb, to examine the complement-inhibiting capacity in sera from
different
species, and to characterize the mechanism(s) by which it inhibits
complement.
Aqueous extraction of the herb followed by fractionation using thin layer
chromatography (TLC) demonstrated that complement-inhibiting activity
resided
within a single band, hereafter termed the complement-inhibiting
component
(CIC), which represents an as yet uncharacterized polyanionic
carbohydrate
molecule. TLC-purified CIC inhibited the classical complement pathway in
all
species tested (human, pig, guinea pig, rat and rabbit). Using
erythrocyte
intermediates and sera specifically depleted of individual components it
was
apparent that CIC inhibited C2. This finding was confirmed using purified
human
C2, CIC causing a dose-dependent loss of C2 haemolytic activity. At much
higher
doses, CIC also showed some inhibiting effect in the terminal pathway,
and this
was shown to be due to inhibition of C9. In the alternative pathway CIC
also
showed inhibitory activity, although its site of action in this pathway
remains
unresolved. In Chinese medicine the herb is taken orally, though no
studies of
complement levels in patients taking the herb have been reported.
Preliminary
data indicate that oral administration in rats causes a partial
inhibition of
serum complement activity. Given the current enthusiasm for complement
inhibition as a therapy for inflammatory diseases, this non-toxic,
naturally
occurring agent might be of therapeutic value.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****JOURNAL OF AOAC INTERNATIONAL*****
Betz JM Gay ML Mossoba MM Adams S Portz BS
Chiral gas chromatographic determination of ephedrine-type alkaloids in
dietary
supplements containing Ma Huang.
In: J AOAC Int (1997 Mar-Apr) 80(2):303-15
ISSN: 1060-3271
Ma Huang is a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the aerial parts
of
several Ephedra species (Ephedraceae). These plants produce (-)-
ephedrine,
(+)-pseudoephedrine, (-)-norephedrine, (+)- norpseudoephedrine,
(-)-N-methylephedrine, and (+)-N- methylpseudoephedrine. Racemic and
(-)-ephedrine, (+)- pseudoephedrine, and (+/-)-norephedrine
(phenylpropanolamine) are used clinically in the United States and are
largely
synthetic in origin. Current interest in Ma Huang is spurred by reports
describing a "thermogenic" (calorie burning) effect provided by mixtures
of
ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin. Products providing the key thermogenic
compounds from natural sources are available as dietary supplements in
retail
outlets. Reports of potentially unsafe levels of the alkaloids, as well
as
possible fortification of Ma Huang- containing products with synthetic
Ephedra
alkaloids, prompted the development of a chiral gas chromatographic (GC)
method
that allows determination of alkaloid patterns and identification of
isomerically impure synthetic alkaloids. Nine products were analyzed on a
gamma-
cyclodextrin capillary GC column. Identity of the alkaloids was verified
by
GC/mass spectrometry (MS) and GC/matrix isolation/Fourier transform
infrared
spectroscopy. No synthetic isomers were found in the dietary supplements
analyzed. Three products contained only one of the ephedrine-type
alkaloids. One
product that listed Ma Huang as an ingredient contained no detectable
ephedrine-type alkaloid. In products containing measurable quantities of
these
compounds, total alkaloid levels ranged from 0.3 to 56 mg/g.
Registry Numbers:
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Hanna GM
Determination of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and norephedrine in mixtures
(bulk
and dosage forms) by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
In: J AOAC Int (1995 Jul-Aug) 78(4):946-54
ISSN: 1060-3271
A simple, specific, and accurate 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
spectroscopic method has been developed for quantitative determination of
the
Ephedra alkaloids (-)-ephedrine, (+)- pseudoephedrine, and (+/-)-
norephedrine,
either singly or in mixtures with each other. Determination of individual
alkaloids was carried out in D2O solution, with acetamide as internal
standard.
Although calculations were based on integrals for the C-CH3 protons,
those for
the N-CH3 and -CH-O- protons may also be useful, depending on the
compound.
Determination of diastereomeric cross-contamination of ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine--or of the concentrations of these alkaloids in the
presence or
absence of (+/-)-norephedrine--was feasible by using the integrals for
the
-CH-O- protons after addition of a trace of DCl. Mean recoveries for
ephedrine
and pseudoephedrine from their respective synthetic mixtures with the
internal
standard (acet- amide) were > or = 99.9 +/- 0.6% (n = 10) and 99.6 +/-
0.8% (n =
10) of the amount added. Recovery for pseudoephedrine from diastereomeric
mixtures with ephedrine was > 99.4 +/- 0.7% (n = 10) of the amount added,
with
as little as 1.92% still being measurable. Mean recovery of (+/-)-
norephedrine
from mixtures with ephedrine and pseudoephedrine was > 99.7 +/- 2.5% (n =
4) of
the amount added, with about 1% still being measurable. Application of
the
proposed NMR spectroscopic method to commercial dosage forms, including
ephedrine sulfate injections and pseudoephedrine hydrochloride tablets,
yielded
assay results ranging from 97.8 to 100.2% (mean, 99.2%) and from 98.7 to
100.5%
(mean, 99.7%) of declared, respectively.
Registry Numbers:
14838-15-4 (Phenylpropanolamine)
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY. B, BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS*****
Flurer CL Lin LA Satzger RD Wolnik KA
Determination of ephedrine compounds in nutritional supplements by
cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis.
In: J Chromatogr B Biomed Appl (1995 Jul 7) 669(1):133-9
ISSN: 0378-4347
Capillary electrophoresis was utilized for the separation,
identification, and
quantitation of ten stereoisomers in the ephedrine family. Chiral
discrimination
was accomplished through the use of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, and
separation was enhanced at pH 2 in the presence of tetramethylammonium
chloride
and sodium dodecyl sulfate. Calibration plots of the ephedrines were
linear over
the range 4-100 micrograms/ml. This method was used in the analysis of
nutritional supplements that contain Ma Huang, a Chinese herbal
preparation that
is made from plants in the genus Ephedra.
Registry Numbers:
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY*****
Lietava J
Medicinal plants in a Middle Paleolithic grave Shanidar IV?
In: J Ethnopharmacol (1992 Jan) 35(3):263-6
ISSN: 0378-8741
This paper deals with phytopharmacological evaluation of the therapeutic
potential of the plants found in the Neanderthal grave of a Shanidar IV
individual (Iraq), where the palynological analysis of some other authors
discovered the following flowers: Achillea-type, Centaurea solstitialis,
Senecio-type, Muscari-type, Ephedra altissima, Althea-type. The purpose
of our
theoretical analysis was to evaluate the objective healing activity of
the
flowers. The result of the research revealed that Shanidar IV flowers
possess
considerable therapeutic effects with marked medical activity, which
could be an
intentional reason for the selection of the flowers in Middle Paleolithic
Shanidar Neanderthals.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Kalix P
The pharmacology of psychoactive alkaloids from ephedra and catha.
In: J Ethnopharmacol (1991 Apr) 32(1-3):201-8
ISSN: 0378-8741
Ever since the introduction of the alkaloid ephedrine as an anti-
asthmatic, the
CNS stimulatory effects of this sympathomimetic have been a problem in
therapy.
Indeed, the use of ephedrine is not only limited by its cardiovascular
effects,
but also by the occurrence of insomnia, restlessness and anxiety.
Exceptionally,
ephedrine may even induce toxic psychosis, and the possibility of this
side
effect has recently received renewed attention. Besides ephedrine, the
ephedra
plant contains some norpseudoephedrine. This substance is also called
cathine,
because it is a major alkaloid of Catha edulis or khat, a plant that is
widely
used as a stimulant in certain countries of East Africa and of the Arab
Peninsula. The effects of khat have been explained formerly by those of
cathine;
some time ago, however, the labile alkaloid cathinone was discovered in
khat.
This substance is the keto-analog of cathine; it is therefore more
lipophilic
and penetrates easily to its sites of action in the central nervous
system.
Indeed, cathinone has been found to be a highly potent CNS stimulant and
it is
now known to be the main psychoactive constituent of khat; the results of
various in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that cathinone must be
considered
a natural amphetamine. In confirmation of this view, it has recently been
demonstrated that cathinone has in humans marked euphorigenic and
psychostimulant effects. As the case may be, these findings may lead,
together
with epidemiological data, to a reconsideration of the use of khat as a
stimulant and social drug.
Registry Numbers:
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EVOLUTION*****
Troitsky AV Melekhovets YuF Rakhimova GM Bobrova VK Valiejo-Roman KM
Antonov AS
Angiosperm origin and early stages of seed plant evolution deduced from
rRNA
sequence comparisons.
In: J Mol Evol (1991 Mar) 32(3):253-61
ISSN: 0022-2844
Complete or partial nucleotide sequences of five different rRNA species,
coded
by nuclear (18S, 5.8S, and 5S) or chloroplast genomes (5S, 4.5S) from a
number
of seed plants were determined. Based on the sequence data, the
phylogenetic
dendrograms were built by two methods, maximum parsimony and
compatibility. The
topologies of the trees for different rRNA species are not fully
congruent, but
they share some common features. It may be concluded that both
gymnosperms and
angiosperms are monophyletic groups. The data obtained suggest that the
divergence of all the main groups of extant gymnosperms occurred after
the
branching off of the angiosperm lineage. As the time of divergence of at
least
some of these gymnosperm taxa is traceable back to the early
Carboniferous, it
may be concluded that the genealogical splitting of gymnosperm and
angiosperm
lineages occurred before this event, at least 360 million years ago,
i.e., much
earlier than the first angiosperm fossils were dated. Ancestral forms of
angiosperms ought to be searched for among Progymnospermopsida.
Genealogical
relationships among gymnosperm taxa cannot be deduced unambiguously on
the basis
of rRNA data. The only inference may be that the taxon Gnetopsida is an
artificial one, and Gnetum and Ephedra belong to quite different lineages
of
gymnosperms. As to the phylogenetic position of the two Angiospermae
classes,
extant monocotyledons seem to be a paraphyletic group located near the
root of
the angiosperm branch; it emerged at the earliest stages of angiosperm
evolution. We may conclude that either monocotyledonous characters arose
independently more than once in different groups of ancient Magnoliales
or that
monocotyledonous forms rather than dicotyledonous Magnoliales were the
earliest
angiosperms. Judging by the rRNA trees, Magnoliales are the most ancient
group
among dicotyledons. The most ancient lineage among monocotyledons leads
to
modern Liliaceae.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Kolukisaoglu HU Marx S Wiegmann C Hanelt S Schneider-Poetsch HA
Divergence of the phytochrome gene family predates angiosperm evolution
and
suggests that Selaginella and Equisetum arose prior to Psilotum.
In: J Mol Evol (1995 Sep) 41(3):329-37
ISSN: 0022-2844
Thirty-two partial phytochrome sequences from algae, mosses, ferns,
gymnosperms,
and angiosperms (11 of them newly released ones from our laboratory) were
analyzed by distance and character-state approaches (PHYLIP, TREECON,
PAUP). In
addition, 12 full-length sequences were analyzed. Despite low bootstrap
values
at individual internal nodes, the inferred trees (neighbor-joining,
Fitch,
maximum parsimony) generally showed similar branching orders consistent
with
other molecular data. Lower plants formed two distinct groups. One basal
group
consisted of Selaginella, Equisetum, and mosses; the other consisted of a
monophyletic cluster of frond-bearing pteridophytes. Psilotum was a
member of
the latter group and hence perhaps was not, as sometimes suggested, a
close
relative of the first vascular plants. The results further suggest that
phytochrome gene duplication giving rise to a- and b- and later to c-
types may
have taken place within seedfern genomes. Distance matrices dated the
separation
of mono- and dicotyledons back to about 260 million years before the
present
(Myr B.P.) and the separation of Metasequoia and Picea to a fossil
record-compatible value of 230 Myr B.P. The Ephedra sequence clustered
with the
c- or a-type and Metasequoia and Picea sequences clustered with the b-
type
lineage. The "paleoherb" Nymphaea branched off from the c-type lineage
prior to
the divergence of mono- and dicotyledons on the a- and b-type branches.
Sequences of Piper (another "paleoherb") created problems in that they
branched
off from different phytochrome lineages at nodes contradicting distance
from the
inferred trees' origin.
Registry Numbers:
11121-56-5 (Phytochrome)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****JOURNAL OF PHARMACOBIO-DYNAMICS*****
Harada M Nishimura M
Contribution of alkaloid fraction to pressor and hyperglycemic effect of
crude
Ephedra extract in dogs.
In: J Pharmacobiodyn (1981 Sep) 4(9):691-9
In anesthetized dogs, pressor and hyperglycemic effects of Ephedra
aqueous
extract as well as its alkaloid fraction and adsorption of alkaloid from
the
digestive tract were studied in order to investigate how closely effects
of the
alkaloid fraction relate to those of the Ephedra extract itself. Blood
pressure,
heart rate, and blood glucose concentration were increased by
intraduodenal
administration of the extract and the alkaloid fraction on the bases of
the same
alkaloid content (20 mg/Kg). In respect to the pressor and hyperglycemic
effects, changes in time course of the effects produced by these two drug
preparations were similar and in either of the two physiological
parameters the
maximal value given by the extract was about a half that given by the
alkaloid
fraction. A maximal level of blood pressure and blood glucose
concentration was
reached 10-15 min after the administration of the two drug preparations,
while
the amount of alkaloid absorbed in the portal vein until this time was
about 2-3
times as much under administration of the alkaloid fraction as under
administration of the extract. Absorption of alkaloid in the extract
occurred
slowly and lasted longer compared with that of the alkaloid fraction
itself. On
the contrary, the alkaloid-free extract administered intraduodenally
showed no
virtual effects on blood pressure and blood glucose concentration except
producing tachycardia. It seems that the effect of Ephedra extract on
blood
pressure and blood glucose concentration was mostly qualitatively and
quantitatively represented by that of alkaloid contained and that effect
of the
extract mainly depended on that of alkaloid absorbed early after its
application.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION*****
Boivin R Richard M Beauseigle D Bousquet J Bellemare G
Phylogenetic inferences from chloroplast chlB gene sequences of
Nephrolepis
exaltata (Filicopsida), Ephedra altissima (Gnetopsida), and diverse land
plants.
In: Mol Phylogenet Evol (1996 Aug) 6(1):19-29
ISSN: 1055-7903
The chloroplast chlB gene, involved in light-independent
protochlorophyllide
reduction, has been reported present in algae, in one bryophyte and some
gymnosperms, but absent from various angiosperms. In this study, the
complete or
nearly complete chlB gene sequences from the fern Nephrolepis exaltata
and the
seed plant Ephedra altissima were determined. Comparison of five
available land
plant chlB sequences with a similar set of rbcL sequences, encoding the
large
subunit of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, showed that the chlB
rate of
nonsynonymous substitution was about fourfold higher than for rbcL, while
the
chlB phylogeny resulted in a better resolution of the clades surveyed.
The
presence of chlB in other lineages of land plants was determined by
amplification and sequencing of a chlB internal fragment, which was
recovered
from all the nonangiosperm taxa surveyed except Psilotum and Gnetum. The
phylogenies derived from 23 land plant chlB sequences were largely
congruent
with the relationships inferred from other analyses. Neighbor-joining
analysis
supported the view that bryophytes are paraphyletic, with mosses as
sister group
to vascular plants. Within lycopodiophytes, Selaginella clustered with
Lycopodium, but Isoetes was located basally to the other land plants. The
various ferns surveyed were found to form a coherent group which derived
after
horsetails and which was sister group to seed plants. Our results
strongly
supported monophyly of the conifers-Ginkgo-cycads clade, where conifers
were
sister group to Ginkgo and cycads. The various phylogenies suggested an
early
divergence of the seed plant lineage leading to Ephedra.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****MUTAGENESIS*****
Horikawa K Mohri T Tanaka Y Tokiwa H
Moderate inhibition of mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of
benzo[a]pyrene,
1,6-dinitropyrene and 3,9-dinitrofluoranthene by Chinese medicinal herbs.
In: Mutagenesis (1994 Nov) 9(6):523-6
ISSN: 0267-8357
The activity of six Chinese medicinal herbs against the environmental
mutagens
and carcinogens benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), 1,6-dinitropyrene (1,6-diNP) and
3,9-dinitrofluoranthene (3,9-diNF) was determined. Samples of Prunella
spica,
Rheum palmatum, Polygonum multiflorum, Agrimonia pilosa, Ephedra sinica
and
Teitoutou were tested in an in vitro system. Antimutagenic activity
against
B[a]P was marked in the presence of extracts (boiled for 2 h in a water
bath)
whereas that against 1,6-diNP and 3,9-diNF varied from 20 to 86%. The
differences in inhibition might be due to inactivation of metabolic
enzymes. An
extract of P. multiflorum was divided into ether, ethyl acetate and water
soluble fractions, which were tested for antimutagenic activity against
B[a]P.
The antimutagenic action of the ethyl acetate soluble fraction was
substantial
and dose-dependent. Tannins and related compounds were the major
components of
the extract, of which epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate,
epicatechin
gallate and tannic acid strongly inhibited the mutagenicity of B[a]P (2.5
micrograms/plate) in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 with S9 mix. To confirm
the
results of the in vitro test system, F344/DuCrj male rats were given a
subcutaneous injection of B[a]P. Thereafter, they received water extracts
of the
six Chinese medicinal herbs for 50 weeks and were examined for tumors.
The P.
multiflorum extract significantly reduced the tumor incidence.
Registry Numbers:
22506-53-2 (3,9-dinitrofluoranthene)
42397-64-8 (1,6-dinitropyrene)
50-32-8 (Benzo(a)pyrene)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****TOXICOLOGY LETTERS*****
Tricker AR Wacker CD Preussmann R
2-(N-nitroso-N-methylamino)propiophenone, a direct acting bacterial
mutagen
found in nitrosated Ephedra altissima tea.
In: Toxicol Lett (1987 Sep) 38(1-2):45-50
ISSN: 0378-4274
A new N-nitroso compound identified in a nitrosated tea extract made from
the
plant Ephedra altissima and shown to be formed under in vivo conditions
was
identified as 2-(N-nitroso-N-methylamino)propiophenone (NMAP).
N-Nitrosoephedrine (NEP), another N-nitroso compound detected in
nitrosated
Ephedra altissima tea and NMAP are shown to exert mutagenic activity in
the
Salmonella/mammalian microsome mutagenicity (Ames) test. Base-pair
substitution
mutation-detecting strains (TA100 and TA1535) showed both compounds to be
weak
direct-acting mutagens without the addition of S9-mix. The
identification,
synthesis and mutagenicity of NMAP are discussed.
Registry Numbers:
110505-04-9 (2-(N-nitroso-N-methylamino)propiophenone)
17608-59-2 (N-nitrosoephedrine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****YAKUBUTSU, SEISHIN, KODO [JAPANESE JOURNAL OF
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY]*****
Furuya I Watanabe S
[Discriminative stimulus properties of ephedra herb (Ephedra sinica) in
rats]
In: Yakubutsu Seishin Kodo (1993 Feb) 13(1):33-8
ISSN: 0285-5313 (Published in Japanese)
The stimulus properties of ephedra herb (drug of Chinese medicine) were
demonstrated in rats trained to discriminate between 2.5 ml/kg extract of
ephedra herb and same volume of distilled water (p.o.). On the
discrimination
training, animals were shaped on an FR20 schedule to respond to one of
two
levers for food reinforcement when they were administrated ephedra herb
extract,
and to respond to the other lever when they were treated with distilled
water.
Cumulative dosing tests for the discriminative stimulus properties
consisted of
two to five trials of FR20 schedule; responses for both levers were
reinforced.
d- Methamphetamine 1.43 mg/kg p.o. indicated complete generalization to
the
ephedra herb. Nicotine and caffeine indicated modest generalization, but
some
animals generalized completely. These results suggest that the ephedra
herb has
d-methamphetamine-like, but unique discriminative stimulus properties.
Registry Numbers:
537-46-2 (Methamphetamine)
54-11-5 (Nicotine)
58-08-2 (Caffeine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****YAKUGAKU ZASSHI. JOURNAL OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF
JAPAN*****
Nikaido T Iizuka S Okada N Kuge T Ohmoto T
[The study of Chinese herbal medicinal prescription with enzyme
inhibitory
activity. VI. The study of makyo-kanseki-to with adenosine 3',5'-cyclic
monophosphate phosphodiesterase]
In: Yakugaku Zasshi (1992 Feb) 112(2):124-8
ISSN: 0031-6903 (Published in Japanese)
A Chinese herbal medicinal prescription, Makyo-kanseki-to, was studied
for the
inhibitory activity of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)
phosphodiesterase. The effect for the inhibitory activity of cAMP
phosphodiesterase by combination with constituent crude drugs of the
prescription was studied. Gypsum acted as a mitigatory component for
Ephedra
herb and Glycyrrhiza in cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibition test.
Registry Numbers:
EC 3.1.4.17 (3',5'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterase)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Nikaido T Ohmoto T Kuge T Yanagisawa A Teinozawa K Takeda H
Tsukamoto H
[The study on Chinese herbal medicinal prescription with enzyme
inhibitory
activity. III. The study of mao-to with adenosine 3',5'- cyclic
monophosphate
phosphodiesterase]
In: Yakugaku Zasshi (1990 Jul) 110(7):504-8
ISSN: 0031-6903 (Published in Japanese)
Mao-to, a Chinese herbal medicinal prescription was studied for the
inhibitory
activity of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)
phosphodiesterase. The
inhibitory activity for this enzyme depended mainly on Ephedra herb and
Glycyrrhiza in this prescription. Apricot kennel acted as a mitigatory
component
for Ephedra herb in cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitory test. In ephedrine
and the
related compounds the inhibitory activity of cAMP phosphodiesterase was
not
shown.
Registry Numbers:
EC 3.1.4.17 (3',5'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterase)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
*****YAO HSUEH HSUEH PAO [ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA]*****
Cui JF Niu CQ Zhang JS
[Determination of six Ephedra alkaloids in Chinese Ephedra (Ma Huang) by
gas
chromatography]
In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1991) 26(11):852-7
ISSN: 0513-4870 (Published in Chinese)
Six Ephedra alkaloids, namely ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine,
norpseudoephedrine, methylephedrine and methylpseudoephedrine, in 12
species of
Chinese Ephedra were successfully separated and determined by gas
chromatography
with the highly specific and sensitive nitrogen phosphorus detector
(GC/NPD).
The column used (HP-5) had a cross linked 5% phenylmethylsilicone phase.
Diphenylamine was used as the internal standard to check the
reproducibility of
the extraction yields of the alkaloids, the stability of the detector
response
and to quantify the alkaloids. The contents of the six alkaloids were
calculated
according to their regression equations. The way for the preparation of
crude
drug samples was improved, the diethyl ether extract of the alkalized
crude
sample was directly analysed by GC. The method is simple, rapid and
sensitive.
The results are in agreement with those of the HPLC method.
Registry Numbers:
14838-15-4 (Phenylpropanolamine)
17605-71-9 (N-methylephedrine)
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
36393-56-3 (norpseudoephedrine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Zhang JS Li SH Lou ZC
[Morphological and histological studies of Chinese Ephedra, ma huang. II.
Species produced in southwestern China and other species]
In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1990) 25(1):54-65
ISSN: 0513-4870 (Published in Chinese)
In this paper, the morphological and histological characters of crude
drugs
derived from Ephedra likiangensis Florin, E. likiangensis f. mairei
(Florin) C.
Y. Cheng, E. saxatilis Royle ex Florin, E. gerardiana Wall, E. gerardiana
var.
congesta C. Y. Cheng, E. minuta Florin, E. minuta var. dioeca C. Y.
Cheng, E.
lepidosperma C. Y. Cheng, E. lomatolepis Schrenk and E. intermedia var.
tibetica
Stapf are described, compared and illustrated with line drawings. It was
found
that all the Ephedra spp. growing in southwester nChina possess the
following
features in common, viz. (1) numerous distinct longitudinal ridges are
present
on the stem; (2) xylem fibres and tracheids possess steep, tertiary
spiral
thickenings; (3) stone cells (sclereids) are absent from the nodes.
According to
the above characters, the drugs produced in southwestern China can be
differentiated from those produced in northern China. The results also
show that
the histological characters of E. intermedia var tibetica Stapf produced
in
southeast ern Xizang (Tibet) are different from those produced in north
western
Xizang. The former possesses the xylem fibres and tracheids with steep,
tertiary
spiral thickenings, while the latter possesses sclereids at stem-nodes.
It may
be related to their habitat factors and interspecies hybridization. A key
for
identification of all the crude drugs derived from Chinese Ephedra spp.
studied
in this series of paper, including thirteen species, three varieties and
one
form is presented.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Zhang JS Li SH Lou ZC
[Morphological and histological studies of Chinese Ephedra mahuang. I.
Seven
species produced in north China]
In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1989) 24(12):937-48
ISSN: 0513-4870 (Published in Chinese)
The Chinese drug Ma Huang, Herba Ephedrae, is well known in the East and
West.
The botanical origin specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (1985
edition)
includes the dried herbaceous stems of Ephedra sinica Stapf, E.
equisetina Bunge
and E. intermedia Schrenk ex Mey. A survey of the botanical origin of
this drug,
however, revealed that other Eqhedra spp. are also used in certain
districts in
China. In order to find means for the identification of drugs derived
from
different plant origins, it is necessary to make a comparative study of
the
morphology and histology of all the Eqhedra spp. growing in China. In
this
paper, the morphological and histological characters of the crude drugs
derived
from the Eqhedra spp. chiefly growing in north China, viz. E. sinica
Stapf, E.
equisetina Bunge, E. intermedia Schrenk ex Mey., E. qrzewaskiistaqs E.
monosperma Gmel. ex Mey., E. fedtschenkoae Pauls, and E. regeliana Florin
are
described, compared and illustrated with line drawings. It is discovered
that
the following characters are useful for their differentiation, viz. (1)
the
presence, shape and height of cuticular papillae of the stem; (2) the
presence,
amount and arrangement of sclereids at stem-nodes; (3) vessels and
tracheids
with bordered pits and spiral thickenings, tracheids with bordered pits
and
reticulate thickenings, and xylem parenchyma cells with reticulate
thickenings,
(4) the ratios of longitudinal and transverse diameters of stomata on the
epidermis of stem and leaf. Observation with scanning electron microscope
(SEM)
revealed that the perforations of the end walls of vessel element in
Eqherda
spp. are bordered. It is also found that the degree of lignification of
fibres
and medullary cells of the herbaceous stems is related to the positions
and
diameters of the stems. It is therefore unsuitable as a diagnostic
feature for
the differentiation of Eqhedrra species.
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Zhang JS Tian Z Lou ZC
[Quality evaluation of twelve species of Chinese Ephedra (ma huang)]
In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1989) 24(11):865-71
ISSN: 0513-4870 (Published in Chinese)
The contents of six Ephedra alkaloids, namely ephedrine, pseudoephedrine,
norephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, methylephedrine and methyl-
pseudoephedrine, in
12 species of Chinese Ephedra collected in 24 districts were determined
by high
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Zorbax CN column (25 cm x 4.6
mm I.D.)
was used and the temperature of column oven was 23-25 degrees C.
Dibutylamine
phosphate solution 0.0009 mol/L (pH 2.2) was used as the mobile phase at
flow
rates: 0.8 ml/min for the first 7 minutes, raised to 1.5 ml/min in 30 sec
and
maintained for 16 minutes. The alkaloids eluted were detected at wave-
length 210
nm. The results showed that ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are the main
components in these Ephedra herbs, but the contents of the six Ephedra
alkaloids
vary greatly with the plant species. The contents of total alkaloids are
higher
and ephedrine is the main component in samples derived from Ephedra
sinica, E.
equisetina, E. monosperma and E. intermedia var. tibetica; but in E.
intermedia
and E. lomatolepis, the content of pseudoephedrine is higher than that of
ephedrine. Methylephedrine content is higher in E. intermedia var.
tibetica
produced in Xizang (Tibet) and in E. sinica produced in north-eastern
China than
that in other species. The results also showed that the samples derived
from E.
przewalskii and E. lepidosperma contain so little alkaloids (less than
0.1%)
that they are considered not suitable to be used as the drug Ma Huang. It
is of
interest that the cultivated Ephedra sinica showed lower alkaloids
content
compared with that growing wild.
Registry Numbers:
14838-15-4 (Phenylpropanolamine)
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
36393-56-3 (norpseudoephedrine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
Shao G Wu F Wang DS Zhu R Luo X
Quantitative analysis of (l)-ephedrine and (d)-pseudoephedrine in plasma
by
high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.
In: Yao Hsueh Hsueh Pao (1995) 30(5):384-9
ISSN: 0513-4870
Quantitative analysis of (l)-ephedrine (l-Ep) and (d)-pseudoephedrine (d-
Ps) in
plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. The
newly
developed method is based on a precolumn derivatization with
5-dimethyl-aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl chloride (DNSC1) in acetonitrile.
The
diastereomers formed were separated on a reversed phase column by HPLC
with
fluorescence detection employing 0.6% phosphate buffer (pH 6.5)-methanol
(3:8,
v/v) as mobile phase. The detection limit of each Ephedra alkaloid
stereoisomer
was 0.5 ng at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1, the linear response to each
stereoisomer being 1-800 ng.ml-1. The plasma level profile of l-Ep and d-
Ps in
guinea pig was investigated by this method. The determination of l-Ep and
d-Ps
in plasma of a volunteer after oral administration of Xiao Qinglong Heji
was
also performed.
Registry Numbers:
299-42-3 (Ephedrine)
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€