Isolation of chrysophanic acid-9-anthrone, the major antifungal principle of Cassia tora.

An antifungal principle of defatted seed power of Cassia tora Linn. was isolated by extraction of an aqueous paste of the powder with benzene, followed by column chromatography over activated silica gel C using chloroform as the developing solvent. Besides chrysophanic acid and other hydroxyanthraquinone derivatives, the major antifungal compound was identified as chrysophanic acid-9-anthrone, the structure of which was assigned on the basis of its chemical properties and uv, ir, nmr and mass spectral analysis. The compound was active against Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, M. gypseum and Geotrichum candidum in broth in the presence of 100 mug/ml L-ascorbic acid as antioxidant.

Pharmacological profile of 1-methylsulphonyl-3-(1-methyl-5-nitro-2-imidazolyl)-2-imidazolidinone (Go-10213), a new antiprotozoal agent, in comparison with metronidazole.

A new antiprotozoal agent, 1-methylsulphonyl-3-(1-methyl-5-nitro-2-imidazolyl)-2-imidazolidinone (Go-10213) has a distinct advantage over metronidazole when their respective neuropharmacological effects on central and peripheral nervous functions are compared in different animal species. The results show that at equivalent dosage schedules with repeated high dosages, Go-10213 is devoid of adverse central and peripheral neural effects in monkeys; cats and dogs, whereas unequivocal evidence of metronidazole neurotoxicity was obtained in all the three species. Go-10213 compares favourably with metronidazole in animal tests for cardiovascular tolerability.