[The contraceptive activity of triterpene glycosides--the total sum of holotoxins A1 and B1 and holothurin A in an experiment]. / Kontratseptivnaia aktivnost' triterpenovykh glikozidov--summy golotoksina A1 i B1 i goloturina A v éksperimente.

The sum of triterpene glycosides of the Far Eastern holothurian Stichopus japonicus Selenka (holotoxins A1 and B1) possesses the contraceptive activity. Glycoside holoturin A of the tropical holothurian Holoturia atra lacks these properties. The action of the sum of holotoxins is based on the estrogenic activity which was demonstrated both in the uterotropic and vaginotropic tests. The drug under study suppresses ovulation and stimulates the contractile activity of the uterus.

[Stimulation of nonspecific antibacterial resistance of mice to opportunistic gram-negative microorganisms with triterpene glycosides from Holothuroidea]. / Stimuliatsiia triterpenovymi glikozidami goloturii nespetsificheskoi antibakterial'noi rezistentnosti myshei k uslovnopatogennym gramotritsatel'nym mikroorganizmam.

A total fraction of triterpenic glycosides from Cucumaria japonica named cucumarioside was used as a stimulator of nonspecific resistance to bacterial infections in mice. After intraperitoneal administration to mice subsequently infected with various strains of E. coli and Proteus mirabilis, cucumarioside provided survival of 40 to 90 per cent of the infected animals against 100 per cent in the control group. The protective effect directly depended on the dose of cucumarioside. It was optimal to administer the preparation 3 days before the infection. When the preparation was administered at such periods LD50 for Neisseria meningitidis BT-2 and Salmonella minnesota SF 1111 lowered 5 and 4.3 times, respectively. Therefore, the total fraction of triterpenic glycosides from Far Eastern holothuria had a marked ability to increase natural resistance of the animals to infections caused by various gram-negative organisms.