Characterization of biotite drugs used in traditional medicine.

Temperature-induced mineral alterations are extensively used in traditional pharmaceutical industry. Studies on the traditional heating methods for enhancing pharmaceutical properties and on the toxicity of mineral-based medicines are limited. This study focuses on the effect of thermal alterations on mineralogical and chemical changes of biotite with respect to two traditional drugs (Abhrak Bhasma and Abhrak Chendhuram).

Hortonones A to C, hydroazulenones from the genus Hortonia.

The new hexahydroazulenones hortonones A (1) to C (3) were isolated from the leaves of three representative species of the endemic Sri Lankan genus Hortonia that belongs to the family Monimiaceae. Hortonones A (1) and B (2) have the unprecedented rearranged hortonane sesquiterpenoid carbon skeleton, and hortonone C (3) has the unprecedented rearranged and degraded 13-norhortonane skeleton. Hortonone C (3) exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells at 5 μg/mL.

Bioactivity and chemistry of the genus Hortonia.

The dichloromethane extracts of the leaves, stem bark, bark and the roots of the three species of the primitive endemic genus Hortonia, H. angustifolia, H. floribunda and H.

Two new lactones with mosquito larvicidal activity from three Hortonia species.

The structures of the butenolides 1 and 2, isolated from the endemic plants Hortonia floribunda, H. angustifolia, and H. ovalifolia, collected in Sri Lanka, have been elucidated by spectroscopic analysis.