Evaluation of the antimycobacterium activity of the constituents from Ocimum basilicum against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ocimum basilicum belongs to the genus Ocimum (Lamiaceae). Many species of this genus including O. basilicum have been traditionally used for the treatment of a variety of diseases including respiratory diseases and symptoms of tuberculosis.

Chemical constituents of Cordia latifolia and their nematicidal activity.

Following nematicidal activity-guided isolation studies on the fruits, bark, and leaves of Cordia latifolia, two new constituents, cordinoic acid (=11-oxours-12-ene-23,28-dioic acid; 1) and cordicilin (=2-{[(E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoyl]oxy}-3-[4-hydroxy-3-(stearoyloxy)phenyl]propanoic acid; 2) were isolated from the stem and leaves, respectively, together with nine known compounds, namely cordioic and cordifolic acid from the stem bark, latifolicin A-D and rosmarinic acid from the fruits, and cordinol and cordicinol from the leaves. Their structures were determined by means of spectroscopic analyses including 1D- and 2D-NMR techniques. The nematicidal activities of these constituents were determined against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita.

Three new constituents, latifolinal, latifolidin and cordicinol, from the fruits and leaves of Cordia latifolia.

Isolation and structure elucidation of three new natural constituents are reported. These include a new substituted furfuryl ester of stearic acid, latifolinal (1), and two aromatic compounds, latifolidin (2) and cordicinol (3). Compounds 1 and 2 were obtained from the dried fruits and compound 3 from the leaves of Cordia latifolia.

Steroidal constituents from the aerial parts of Lippia nodiflora Linn.

The methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Lippia nodiflora Linn. afforded one new and two known steroids. The structure of the new steroid had been elucidated as 4',5'-dimethoxybenzoloxystigmasterol (1) by an analysis of the spectral data, including extensive NMR experiments and its chemical transformation to stigmasterol.

Preparation, structure and spasmolytic activities of some derivatives of harmine series of alkaloids.

Keeping in view the interesting chemistry and pharmacological importance of harmine series of bases -- the beta-carboline alkaloids, a number of new derivatives of tetrahydroharmine and harmalol have been prepared and characterized through spectral studies. Some of these derivatives showed spasmolytic activity. It was observed that all the N-acyl tetrahydroharmine derivatives are stable, not labile and no ring opening occurs in these compounds, as reported recently.

Studies on the chemical constituents of the fruits of Cordia latifolia.

Four new aromatic compounds have been isolated from the fruits of Cordia latifolia (Boreginaceae) bearing a common basic skeleton but differing in the side chain. Their structures were elucidated using spectrometric methods including 1D- (1H and 13C) and 2D-NMR experiments, (1H, 1H-COSY, NOESY, HMQC and HMBC) and chemical transformations.