Ahmed K. Bashir

Effect of Psidium guajava leaves on some aspects of the central nervous system in mice

An Erratum has been published for this article in Phytotherapy Research 14(5) 2000, 400.

Betaines in coastal plants

Abstract Aerial parts of 63 flowering plant species distributed in 43 genera and 22 families have been examined for the presence of betaines and tertiary sulphonium compounds. The plants tested were collected primarily either from salt marshes or close to the sea, but other species in either the same genus or family as plants collected from the coastal area were included in the study. Betaines were isolated from all but six of the species collected, but tertiary sulphonium compounds were not detected in any. High concentrations of betaines were found in all species of Chenopodiaceae examined as well as in 12 other species in other families, most notably Sesuvium portulacastrum (Aizoaceae), Avicennia marina (Verbenaceae) and Spartina×townsendii (Gramineae). Most of the species tested contained betaines in low concentrations (0.0009–0.10% dry weight). The qualitative distribution of betaines within different species of any one genus was consistently the same.

The Composition of the Essential Oil of Teucrium stocksianum from the United Arab Emirates

Abstract The hydrodistilled essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the aerial parts of Teucrium stocksianum Boiss., collected in the United Arab Emirates, was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Forty-one components were identified, but the major compounds were α-cadinol (12.0–14.6%) and δ-cadinene (12.4–13.8%).

Essential Oil of Haplophyllum tuberculatum (Forssk.) A. Juss. from the United Arab Emirates

Abstract Essential oils of Haplophyllum tuberculatum (Forssk.) A. Juss., produced from plants collected in the United Arab Emirates, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The composition of the oils varied considerably. Those obtained from plants collected in May (1997 and 2001) were similar, with α-phellandrene (10.7–32.9%) being the major component and with signifcant amounts of β-caryophyllene (6.3–12.8%), β-pinene (7.6–8.0%), limonene (4.0–9.6%) and δ-3-carene (5.5–6.0%). However, the oil distilled from plants collected in April (1998) had major components of linalool (15.0%), linalyl acetate (10.6%), β-caryophyllene (9.7%) and α-terpineol (6.7%). The compositions of all three oils prepared from UAE collected plants differed signifcantly from those reported for the same species col-lected in Egypt and Iran.

6-Methylcryptoacetalide, 6-methyl-epicryptoacetalide and 6-methylcryptotanshinone from Salvia aegyptiaca.

From the whole plant of Salvia aegyptiaca, 6-methylcryptoacetalide, 6-methyl-epicryptoacetalide and 6-methylcryptotanshinone have been isolated and characterized, mainly by spectroscopic means. In addition to these novel diterpenoids, the known compounds 3beta-hydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid, 3beta-hydroxy-oleana-11,13(18)-dien-28-oic acid, sitosterol-3beta-glucoside, sitosterol, stigmasterol, 5-hydroxy-7,3,4-trimethoxyflavone and 5, 6-dihydroxy-7,3,4-trimethoxyflavone were isolated.

A B-ring contracted spirostane from Tacca leontopetaloides.

Abstract Leontogenin, 25( R )-B- nor (7)-6β-formyl-spirostane-3β,5β-diol, was isolated from the acid hydrolysate of an extract of leaves of Tacca leontopetaloides and its structure elucidated from IR, 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. This is the first report of a naturally occurring spirostane showing B-ring contraction. The possible origin of this compound is discussed.

Isomeric F-ring dihydroxylated 22,25-epoxyfurostene and spirostene sapogenins from Tacca leontopetaloides

Abstract Taccagenin [furost-5-ene-3,26,27-triol-22,25-epoxy(3β,22 R ,26,27)] (C 27 H 41 O 5 ) was isolated from the acid hydrolysate of an extract of leaves of Tacca leontopetaloides and its structure elucidated by IR, 1 H NMR 13 C NMR and mass spectrometry (25 R )- and (25 S )-spirotaccagenins [spirost-5-ene-3,25,27-triol(3β,25,27)] were also isolated and partially characterised. This is the first report of a naturally occurring 22,25-epoxyfurostene or spirostene dihydroxylated in the F-ring. The origin of these compounds is discussed.

Essential Oil of Pulicaria glutinosa Jaub. from the United Arab Emirates

Abstract The essential oil of Pulicaria glutinosa Jaub. was examined by GC and GC/MS. The oil was characterized by its high proportion of sesquiterpenes. Of the 37 components detected, the most abundant were β-elemene (11.8–16.4%), τ-cadinol (12.4–14.2%) and α-cadinol (8.4–10.5%). Minor differences were detected between the oils isolated from samples collected in different years.

Erratum. H.M. Shaheen, B.H. Ali, A.A. Alqarawi and A.K. Bashir. 'Effect Of psidium guajava leaves on some aspects of the central nervous system in mice'. Phytotherapy research 14(2) 2000, 107-111

The original article to which this Erratum refers was published in Phytotherapy Research 14(2) 2000, 107–111.