Anti-inflammatory activity of flavonol glycosides from Erythrospermum monticolum depending on single or repeated local TPA administration.

Two anti-inflammatory principles were isolated from the methanol extract of the leaves of Erythrospermum monticolum (Flacourtiaceae). The isolation was based on a guided bioassay of the inhibitory activity on TPA-induced ear edema in mice. These compounds were identified as quercetin 3-O-xylosyl(1-->2) rhamnoside and quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside. In addition, their effects on a chronic topic inflammation model were evaluated.

Investigations on the steroidal anti-inflammatory activity of triterpenoids from Diospyros leucomelas.

Three triterpenes were isolated from Diospyros leucomelas and identified as betulin, betulinic acid, and ursolic acid. They showed anti-inflammatory activity in the carrageenan and serotonin paw edema tests and TPA and EPP ear edema tests. The blockade of their effects by progesterone, actinomycin D, and cycloheximide has served to determine the mechanism of action in relationship with that of glucocorticoids. Betulinic acid was the most affected and therefore a mode of action similar to these drugs may be postulated for it.

Medicalethnobotany of some weeds of Mauritius and Rodrigues.

The people of Mauritius and Rodrigues have always used medicinal plants for various ailments, and have for a long time been dependent on surrounding plant resources for their food, shelter, fodder, health care and other cultural purposes. However, encroaching industrialization and the accompanying changes in their lifestyles are responsible for the decrease of practice in the local use of plants for medicine. It is, therefore, felt worthwhile to record the native uses of these plants before the information is lost. The present paper deals with the medicalethnobotany of 53 genera and 94 different species of plants considered as weeds.

Study of human T and B lymphocytes with heterologous antisera. I Preparation, specificity and properties of antisera.

Heterologous antisera have been raised in the horse and rabbit against human lymphocytes. Appropriate absorptions on either B or T cells were performed to make antisera specific for human T (anti-HTLA) or B (serum 789) lymphocytes respectively. In addition serum 789 was found to react with circulating monocytes. The percentages of T and B cells detected by anti-HTLA and 789 sera in the different lymphoid organs averaged respectively: 78-7 per cent and 14-7 per cent in peripheral blood, 91-4 per cent and 4-0 per cent in thymus, 73-0 per cent and 14-5 per cent in lymph nodes, 53-6 per cent and 30-0 per cent in spleen, 47-1 per cent and 47-6 per cent in tonsils and 17-5 per cent and 13-5 per cent in bone marrow. Anti-HTLA serum appeared to supress E-rosette formation but did not affect binding of C3-coated erythrocytes. Serum 789 did not prevent E-rosette formation and reduced the number of EAC rosettes by 50 per cent. Anti-HTLA serum was found able to suti-lymphocyte serum, and PWM in the presence of complement; it was found highly mitogenic by itself. Serum 789 decreased the proliferative response to phytomitogens in about the proportion of cells killed by the antiserum. These results indicate that the presence of T cells is necessary for the mitogen-induced proliferation to occur, and that B lymphocytes are induced to proliferate in the presence of T cells and phytomitogens. Anti-HTLA serum was found not to inhibit K-cell activity of lymphocytes against antibody-coated chicken erythrocytes. These antisera appear very useful tools for the study of the role of human B and T lymphocytes involved in in vitro immune reactions.

T-dependence of human B lymphocyte proliferative response to mitogens.

Human peripheral blood and tonsil lymphocytes were fractionated on anti-Ig-coated Sephadex columns or by centrifugation after rosetting with native sheep erythrocytes. Both methods allowed the recovery of B and T-enriched populations the purity of which was checked by fluorescein-labelled anti-Ig serum, E and EAC rosette formation, and heterologous antisera specific for B or T lymphocytes. The proliferative response of T cells to PHA, Con A, PWM, and ALS was not found different from that of unfractionated cells, whereas no response of the B cells could be observed to these mitogens providing that no contaminating T cells were present. Addition of T lymphocytes to these unresponsive B cells allowed them to respond to phytomitogens, but not to ALS. X-irradiated T cells could, to some extent, replace the diving T lymphocytes; no T-replacing factor could be found in cell-free supernatants from T cells, whether or not they had been activated by mitrogens. This model of B-T cooperation appears useful for studying the differentiation and maturation of human B lymphocytes.