Bioassay-guided isolation of the antinociceptive compounds motiol and beta-sitosterol from Scorzonera latifolia root extract.

Scorzonera latifolia (Asteraceae) is a plant widely distributed in Central and East Anatolia. A mastic, named yaki sakizi, is prepared from the latex and roots of S. latifolia and similar species. This latex is used in Turkish folk medicine for its analgesic activity, as anthelmintic and against infertility. The aim of this study was to isolate the compounds responsible for the antinociceptive activity of S. latifolia using bioassay-guided fractionation. The methanolic extract of the S. latifolia roots was prepared and subjected to chromatographic purification. Isolated active compounds were identified by means of MS and NMR techniques. Writhing and tail-flick tests were used to determine antinociceptive activity. Motiol and beta-sitosterol were isolated as compounds with promising antinociceptive activity. It is suggested that antinociceptive activity of the plant extract is probably caused by the synergic interaction of the isolated compounds.

Evaluation of analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective effects of lycorine from Sternbergia fisheriana (Herbert) Rupr.

The present study reports the potential antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities of lycorine from Sternbergia fischeriana (Herbert) Rupr. (Amaryllidaceae). Lycorine was evaluated on mice by using acetic-acid induced writhing and tail-flick tests. Lycorine exhibited stronger inhibition than aspirin in acetic-acid induced abdominal stretching at 1.0mg/kg dose. Lycorine also showed antinociceptive activity at 1.0mg/kg dose in tail-flick test. The anti-inflammatory activity of lycorine was not found to be significant at dose of 0.5mg/kg. However, at doses of 1.0mg/kg and 1.5mg/kg, i.p. showed a significant reduction with 53.45% and 36.42%, respectively in rat paw oedema induced by carrageenan against the reference anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin (3mg/kg, i.p.) (95.70%). The ED(50) of lycorine was determined as 0.514 mg/kg. Hepatoprotective activity of lycorine on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) induced acute liver toxicity following biochemical parameters were also evaluated. Rats were treated with lycorine at doses of 1.0mg/kg and 2.0mg/kg, i.p. Results of biochemical tests were confirmed by histopathological examination. Lycorine exhibited significant hepatoprotective effect at dose of 2.0mg/kg i.p. dose.