Composition of the essential fruit oil of Vitex agnus-castus.

Vitex agnus-castus, the chaste tree, is used against disorders of the female sexual organs and as an anaphrodisiac. Active constituents are not known. In this study the essential oil of the fruits was investigated by GC and GC-MS.

Ayurvedic herbal drugs with possible cytostatic activity.

Ayurveda is considered to be the traditional science of health in India and is based on the principle of subjectivity. All matter is composed of five basic elements, which can be perceived by the five sense organs. All food and drugs are classified according to their pharmacological properties, which are derived from these five elements.

Gamma irradiation of Sennae Folium. Microbiological and phytochemical studies.

The effect of different doses of gamma irradiation on senna leaves was studied. No changes in sennoside content and composition were observed after irradiation with 25 kGy. It was demonstrated that a minimum dose of 10 kGy was necessary to obtain a product of good microbiological quality.

Investigation of Grewia bicolor Juss.

Grewia bicolor is a small tree, parts of which are used in Sudanese traditional medicine for treating pustulent skin lesions, internally on indication of a delayed afterbirth and sometimes as a tranquilizer. A phytochemical investigation of Grewia bicolor gave the following results: the petroleum ether extract afforded beta-sitosterol and beta-sitosterol- and triterpene esters, and the triterpenes lupeol and betulin. The methanol extract afforded: beta-sitosterol-glucoside and three alkaloids, harman, 6-methoxyharman and 6-hydroxyharman.

The essential oil of Apium graveolens var. secalinum and its cercaricidal activity.

The composition of the essential oil of the fresh aerial parts of Apium graveolens var. secalinum at its flowering stage, obtained from three different locations in Egypt, was investigated. The identification of the components of this oil was carried out by means of analytical GC and GC-MS.

Alkaloids in ergot found on different Gramineae in The Netherlands.

The alkaloid content and the composition of the alkaloid complex of thirteen samples of ergot sclerotia from different gramineous host species collected in The Netherlands were investigated. Two samples collected in France were also examined. Ergot of Glyceria fluitans (L.