Dilip Gorai

Argemone mexicana: chemical and pharmacological aspects

The Papaveraceae, informally known as the poppy family, are an ethnopharmacologically important family of 44 genera and approximately 760 species of flowering plants. The present work offers a review addressing the detailed chemistry and pharmacology of Argemone mexicana L. regarded as one of the most significant plant species in traditional system of medicine. The plant is used in different parts of the world for the treatment of several ailments including tumors, warts, skin diseases, inflammations, rheumatism, jaundice, leprosy, microbial infections, and malaria. Interestingly, the plant is the source of a diverse kind of chemical constituents although alkaloids are mostly abundant. Beyond pharmaceutical efficacies, certain plant parts also show toxic effects as well. Hence, an up-to-date information on the chemical and pharmacological knowledge on this plant may be helpful to guide researchers anticipating to undertake further investigations in these directions. The present review covers literature up to 2012 and enlists 111 references.

A new labdane diterpene from Rauvolfia tetraphylla Linn. (Apocynaceae)

The air-dried stems and branches of Rauvolfia tetraphylla afforded a new labdane diterpene characterised as 3β-hydroxy-labda-8(17),13(14)-dien-12(15)-olide on the basis of spectroscopic studies including UV, IR, MS and NMR (1H, 13C and HMQC); this is the first report of a new terpenoid constituent from R. tetraphylla, an important medicinal plant widely known for the source of a variety of alkaloids.

A new naturally occurring xanthone bearing rare oxygenation pattern from Hoppea fastigiata

A new xanthone 1,3,6-trihydroxy-8-methoxyxanthone, was isolated from chloroform extract of the whole plant of Hoppea fastigiata and the structure was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical studies. The xanthone molecule has an unusual oxygenation pattern (1,3,6, 8) and is of chemotaxonomic interest.

A new long-chain secondary alkanediol from the flowers of Argemone mexicana

An ethanolic extract of the dried flower petals of Argemone mexicana afforded a new and optically active secondary C31-alkanediol characterised as hentriacontane-3,20-diol on the basis of spectroscopic studies including IR, HRMS, 1H and 13C NMR.