Effect of methyl ester of aristolic acid fromAristolochia indica Linn. on fertility of female mice

Summary Methyl ester of aristolic acid, a pure compound isolated from the roots ofAristolochia indica (Linn.), was found to exert 100% abortifacient activity at a single oral dose of 60 mg/kg b. wt when administered on 6th or 7th day of pregnancy; 20 and 25% abortifacient effect were observed at the same dose on day 10 and 12, respectively.The authors wish to thank Dr S.C. Pakrashi and his associate Mr P.P. Ghosh Dastidar for the compound. Thanks are also due to the Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research for granting a fellowship to one of them (C.S.).     

Foliar spirality and aestivation of flowers inHibiscus cannabinus Linn.

Summary InHibiscus cannabinus a negative association exists between the foliar spirality and the aestivation of corolla. Moreover, it is seen that the fruits developed from left-twiting flowers of left-spiralled plants and those of the right-twisting flowers of right-spiralled plants are better in quality.We thank Sri S. K. De, Artist of the Indian Statistical Institute, for making the drawing.     

Anthraquinone glycoside from the seeds ofCassia occidentalis Linn.

Zusammenfassung InCassia occidentalis Linn. wurde das 1-Glukosid des 3-Methyl-6-methoxy-1,8-dihydroxy-anthrachinons nachgewiesen.

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The author thanks the C.S.I.R., New Delhi, India, for financial assistance.     

Antifertility effect of aristolic acid fromAristolochia indica (Linn) in female albino rabbits

Summary Aristolic acid experted significant antifertility effects in mature female rabbits without hampering the clinical chemical values in blood.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Dr S. C. Pakrashi and his associate Mr P.P. Ghosh Dastidar for the plant extracts. Thanks are also due to the D.G. of ICMR for granting fellowship to B. Chakrabarty.     

Chemical examination of the roots ofCissampelos pareira Linn. Part V. structure and stereochemistry of hayatidin

Zusammenfassung Das Alkaloid Hayatidin, aus Wurzeln vonCissampelos pareiras Linn. isoliert, konnte nach Reduktion seines Äthyläthers und Identifikation der Fragmente durch die Darstellung passender Derivate mit protonmagnetischer Resonanz und weiteren Methoden als (+–)-4'-O-Methylbebeerine charakterisiert werden.     

Chemical investigation ofAbroma august a Linn. identity of abromine with betaine

Zusammenfassung Isolierung und Charakterisierung verschiedener Stoffe aus der indischen PflanzeAbroma augusta Linn.     

Raffinose inStomoxys calcitrans Linn. (diptera,cyclorrhaphpa: Muscidae)

Résumé La raffinose a été découverte pour la première fois dans l'insecteS. calcitrans, une mouche suceuse de sang. Le sucre est présent dans les ufs fraîchement pondus, dans les larves au troisième stage, dans les pupes blanches et dans les toutes jeunes mouches. On a aussi discuté le róle probable de ce sucre.     

Glycogen contents in the rat uterus: response to Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn. extracts.

Ethanolic extracts (50%), as well the benzene extracts, of H. rosa-sinensis Linn. have reduced significantly the glycogen contents in the uterus of adult rat. Both the extracts exhibit a clear-cut dose-response relation. The inhibition in glycogen contents increases as the dose is increased. Of the 2, benzene extract seems to be more potent. The results are due to antiestrogenic nature of the extracts.     

Effect of the extracts from Aristolochia indica Linn. on interception in female mice.

The crude petroleum ether, chloroform and alcoholic extracts from the roots of Aristolochia indica (Linn.) showed 100% interceptive activity in mature female mice at the single dose of 100 mg/kg body wt. The follow-up studies with the chloroform extract showed the most significant effect in the basic part and two acidic fractions at the single dose levels of 50 mg/kg body wt. No toxic effect was observed at the dose levels used.     

Glycogen contents in the rat uterus: Response toHibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn. extracts

Summary Ethanolic extracts (50%), as well the benzene extracts, ofH. rosa-sinensis Linn. have reduced significantly the glycogen contents in the uterus of adult rat. Both the extracts exhibit a clear-cut dose-response relation. The inhibition in glycogen contents increases as the dose is increased. Of the 2, benzene extract seems to be more potent. The results are due to antiestrogenic nature of the extracts.This investigation was supported by a grant from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi.     

Effect of the extracts fromAristolochia indica Linn. on interception in female mice

Summary The crude petroleum ether, chloroform and alcoholic extracts of the roots ofAristolochia indica (Linn.) showed 100% interceptive activity in mature female mice at the single dose of 100 mg/kg body wt. The follow-up studies with the chloroform extract showed the most significant effect in the basic part and two acidic fractions at the single dose levels of 50 mg/kg body wt. No toxic effect was observed at the dose levels used.The authors are thankful to Mr.P. P. Ghosh Dastidar, Medicinal Chemistry Division for the plant extracts. Thanks are also due to Indian Council of Medical Research and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for granting scholarships to two of them (B.C. and A.D.) and to Prof.R. N. Chakravarti, Director of the Institute for encouragement.     

Effect of a sesquiterpene fromAristolochia indica Linn. on fertility in female mice

Summary A sesquiterpene isolated from the roots ofAristolochia indica (Linn.) was found to exert 100% interceptive activity and 91.7% anti-implantation activity in mice at a single oral dose of 100mg/kg b. wt. No toxic effect was found at the dose levels used.The authors wish to thank Dr S. C. Pakrashi and his associate Mr P. P. Ghosh Dastidar of Medicinal Chemistry Department for isolating the compound for this study. Thanks are also due to Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research for granting a Junior Research Fellowship to C.S.     

Preliminary studies on titrable acidity in xerophytic plants:Salvadora persica Linn. andProsopis juliflora D.C.

Zusammenfassung Zwei Baumarten der ariden Zone zeigen den Crassulaceen-Säurestoffwechsel, obwohl sie keine Sukkulenten sind. Dieser Säurestoffwechsel hängt also von der Anpassung an gewisse Umweltfaktoren (Temperatur, Luftfeuchtigkeit) ab.     

Effect of temperature on the neurosecretory activity inNezara viridula Linn. (Heteroptera; pentatomidae)

Zusammenfassung Die neurosekretorischen Zellen und die davon ausgehenden Nerven vonNezara viridula Linn enthalten bei Zucht in niedriger Temperatur bedeutend weniger Neurosekret als in Normaltemperatur.     

Toxic substances produced byFusarium. III. Production and screening of phytotoxic substances ofF. oxysporum f. sp.carthami responsible for the wilt disease of safflowerCarthamus tinctorius Linn.

Summary Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.carthami, a causative agent for the wilt disease of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius Linn.), has been shown to produce diacetoxyscirpenol, T-2 toxin, fusaric acid and lycomarasmin in artificial media. These substances produced disease syndromes, similar to those seen after the natural infection, when administered in healthy plants. Diacetoxyscirpenol and T-2 toxin have been detected in diseased safflower plants after inoculating with the wilt pathogen. This study is the first demonstration of vivotoxicity of diacetoxyscirpenol.