Hypotensive activity and toxicology of constituents from root bark of Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula.

A defatted extract of Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula root bark (PRB) in 50% methanol showed a significant ability to reduce blood pressure. It caused a 22% and 47% fall in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) in rats at doses of 3 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg, respectively. Compounds purified from this extract include kolavenic acid (3), clerodane (1) and its isomer (2), liriodenine (4), lysicamine (5) and bisclerodane imide (6) and its isomer (7). Of these, only kolavenic acid produced a 22% fall in MABP, at a dose of 30 mg/kg. PRB showed a decrease in blood pressure of normotensive and egg yolk induced hypertensive rats. The LD50 of PRB was determined as 100 mg/kg in mice.