Pharmacognosy with the Basics of Plant Biochemistry - Kovalyov V. M. 2004

Special Part
Alkaloids
Medicinal plants and raw materials containing glycoalkaloids

HERB OF KANGAROO APPLE — HERBA SOLANI LACINIATI

Kangaroo apple — Solаnum Іасіniatum Ait., fam. Solanaceae

Kangaroo apple; the name derives from Lat. solari – to alleviate; laciniatus, -um – lobed, from lacinia – a lobe or flap.

A perennial herbaceous plant reaching a height of 2–2.5 m, cultivated as an annual. The stem is upright, single, and woody at the base. The branchlets are green with violet pigmentation at the nodes. Leaves vary greatly in size: the lower ones are up to 35 cm long, petiolate, and pinnatipartite; those higher up gradually shorten and simplify (sometimes being ternately lobed), while the uppermost leaves are small, entire, and lanceolate. Flowers are gathered in groups of 3–17 into short, dense racemes. The calyx is five-parted and green; the corolla is rotate and dark violet. The fruit is an oval, succulent, bilocular berry, 2–3 cm in diameter.

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Distribution. The native habitat of the kangaroo apple includes the subtropical regions of Australia and New Zealand. The plant is cultivated as an annual in Moldova, Krasnodar Krai, and southern Kazakhstan.

Harvesting. The herb is mown using mowers during the flowering phase two to three times per summer, simultaneously being comminuted, and is sun-dried. A "juice-based" Technology for Obtaining solasodine has been developed. For this purpose, juice is pressed from the fresh herb and utilized as needed for production. The plant is poisonous.

Chemical composition of the raw material. The herb contains two structurally related steroidal glycoalkaloids: solasonine and solamargine (2%). The aglycone of both compounds is solasodine. The maximum accumulation of Alkaloids in the leaves is observed during the flowering period. Alkaloid content is higher during the day than in the evening and at night.

Biological activity and application. Solasodine is extracted from the herb and serves as a substance for the semi-synthetic production of hormonal drugs, specifically progesterone and cortisone. Cortisone is obtained from animal adrenal cortexes, but these raw material reserves are insufficient and costly, prompting the search for plant sources with a steroidal Structure. Solacyl (solasodine citrate) is used for rheumatism, Arthritis, and endocarditis.

RHIZOMES AND ROOTS OF FALSE HELLEBORE — RHIZOMATA CUM RADICIBUS VERATRI

Lobelian false hellebore — Veratrum lobehanum Beruh., fam. Melanthiaceae

Lobel's false hellebore – the plant's Latin name possibly originates from verus – true and ater, atrum – black; the specific epithet lobelianus, -um is named after the botanist M. de l'Obel.

A perennial plant with a thick, short, vertical rhizome and numerous yellowish-brown cord-like roots. On a break, the rhizome and roots are grayish-white. The stem is erect, thick, rounded, and 70 to 150 cm tall. Leaves are alternate, large, broadly elliptic, parallel-veined (arcuate-veined), and longitudinally pleated. Flowers are gathered in a long apical panicle. They are inconspicuous, greenish, with a simple six-part perianth. Other species include white hellebore — Veratrum album L., with white flowers, and black hellebore — Veratrum nigrum L., with a dark perianth.

Distribution. Found in the European part of the CIS, Siberia, and the Caucasus in damp places, meadows, and forest clearings throughout the forest and forest-steppe zones. White hellebore grows in Ukraine only in the western regions and on the slopes of the Carpathians.

Harvesting. Usually harvested in autumn. Rhizomes with roots are dug up, shaken free of soil, washed with Water, and large rhizomes are cut lengthwise and dried in dryers separately from other raw Materials. The dust of the dry raw material irritates the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, so work should be performed wearing a gauze bandage. The plant is poisonous.

Chemical COMPOSITION OF THE raw material. All PARTS OF THE plant contain alkaloids (roots – 2.4%, rhizomes – up to 1.3, herb – up to 0.55%), with the main ones being alkaloids of the cevadine (ceveratrum) group, as well as jervine, pseudojervine, rubijervine, and isorubijervine; accompanying substances include Tannins, resins, sugars, etc.

Biological activity and application. Tincture and hellebore water are used as an external antiparasitic agent. In veterinary medicine, a decoction of the raw material is used for bovine hypodermosis.

Abroad, alkaloids are isolated from green hellebore — Veratrum viride, which are used in the form of esters as an antihypertensive agent. High toxicity hinders the Introduction of hellebore preparations into medical practice.

In homeopathy, dried rhizomes with roots of white hellebore are used for conditions accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, and collapse, as well as for severe infant dyspepsia; similarly to camphor, for cardiac weakness. Dried rhizomes with roots of green hellebore are used for angina pectoris, hypertensive crisis, Sepsis, and the initial stage of acute mastitis.