Chemical composition of leaf and root essential oils of Boenninghausenia albiflora Reichb. from northern India
The leaf and root essential oil composition of Boenninghausenia albiflora Reichb and Meissner (family: Rutaceae), collected from Uttarakhand, India, was analysed by capillary gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The major constituents identified in the leaf essential oil were β-myrcene, (Z)-β-guaiene, (Z)-β-ocimene and β-caryophyllene, whereas bicyclogermacrene, α-terpinyl acetate, geijerene and β-copaene-4α-ol were identified as the major constituents of the root essential oil. This is the first time that the chemical compositions of leaf and root essential oils of B. albiflora have been investigated in detail. The results show significant qualitative and quantitative variations in leaf and root oil composition.
Compositional Variations in Volatile Constituents of Boenninghausenia albiflora Reichb. from Western Himalaya
The essential-oil yield and composition of the aerial parts of Boenninghausenia albiflora were analyzed and compared by capillary GC-FID and GC–MS at different stages of growth and on drying prior to distillation. The essential-oil content of the aerial parts was found to vary from 0.15–0.20 % at different phenophases. Essential-oils were mainly composed of sesquiterpenoids (44.62–52.11 %) and monoterpenoids (25.73–45.95 %). Sesquiterpenoids (44.62–52.11 %) portion of essential-oils was represented by germacrene D (4.18–18.21 %), epi-α-cadinol (0.14–16.25 %), β-caryophyllene (4.62–13.14 %), globulol (0.26–9.22 %), and β-copaene-4α-ol (0.14–7.52 %); while β-myrcene (2.09–26.11 %) and β-pinene (8.36–13.77 %) were the major monoterpenoids. Variations in essential-oil yield (0.15–0.20 %), and contents of monoterpene hydrocarbons (19.38–42.59 %), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (15.38–36.92 %) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (9.97–36.73 %) due to different growth stages (vegetative, flowering and seed setting stages) of B. albiflora were noticed. On drying viz. sun and shade drying of the aerial parts of B. albiflora have no drastic influence on essential-ol quality; but significant quantitative variations were noticed. Further, variations in essential-oil composition of leaf and root essential-oils of B. albiflora collected from four different climatic locations were also compared.
Improvement of phase I drug metabolism with Schisandra chinensis against CCl4 hepatotoxicity in a rat model.
The seed extract of Schisandra chinensis was investigated in the rat for its restorative or therapeutic effect on Phase I hepatic drug metabolism following intoxication by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Male Sprague Dawley rats (220-250 g) were divided into two sets, one included rats with or without CCl4 intoxication, the other included CCl4 intoxicated rats with or without treatment of Schisandra extract. With the treatment regimen, rats received four oral doses of Schisandra (160 mg/kg) or the same volume of water at 8, 24, 32 and 48 h after CCl4 intoxication. A single oral dose (80 mg/kg) of antipyrine, a conventional probe for oxidative drug metabolism, was then administered. The levels of liver serum transaminases and cytochrome P450 were measured and the pharmacokinetics of antipyrine were assessed using a non-compartmental approach via WinNonlin. In comparison to the rats without CCl4 intoxication (t1/2: 2.2 +/- 0.9 h; Cl/F: 0.30 +/- 0.01 L/h/Kg; P450: 0.611 +/- 0.190 nmol/mg protein), CCl4 administration significantly decreased elimination (t1/2: 12.0 +/- 3.9 h) and oral clearance (Cl/F: 0.049 +/- 0.018 L/h/kg) of antipyrine, and markedly reduced the content of P450 (0.075 +/- 0.011 nmol/mg protein). Data obtained from intoxicated animals treated by Schisandra extract, compared to those without treatment, showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the t1/2 (4.45 +/- 1.7 h) and Cl/F (0.096 +/- 0.018 ml/h) estimates of antipyrine and a 2-3 fold increase in P450 level (0.190 +/- 0.072 nmol/mg protein). Findings in this study suggest that the seed extract of Schisandra appeared to be a promising agent for the improvement of Phase I oxidative metabolism in the liver damaged by CCl4.