Calotropis procera belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae. It is a erect, soft wooded, evergreen perennial shrub. C. procera commonly known as “Akra” and “milk weed”. All the parts (root, stem, leaf and flowers) of C. procera are in common use in traditionally system of medicine. The present paper is an attempt to provide a detailed botanical description, classification, pharmacological study of ...

Two stereoisomeric cardenolides, uscharin (1) and a new compound, 2'-epi-uscharin (2), were isolated from the latex of Calotropis gigantea (Asclepiadaceae). Their structures were fully elucidated based on their spectroscopic data, X-ray crystallographic data and chemical evidences. Both epimers (1 and 2) exhibited strong inhibitory effects on HIF-1 activity with different magnitudes. Compound 1...

Twenty new pregnane glycosides were obtained from the roots of Asclepias syriaca L. (Asclepiadaceae). These glycosides were confirmed to contain ikemagenin, 12-O-nicotinoyllineolon, 5alpha,6-dihydroikemagenin, and 12-O-tigloylisolineolon, as their aglycones, using both spectroscopic and chemical methods.

Janakia arayalpatra (Periplocaceae) known to the local kani tribe as 'Amruthapala' is a rare and endemic wild plant species of southern forested region of Western Ghats. The medicinal value of this plant as a potential drug was reported by the authors earlier (on the basis of the information collected from the Kani tribe). Preliminary ethnopharmacological investigation of the plant showed promi...

Twenty-six new acylated-oxypregnane glycosides were obtained along with three known cardenolide glycosides from the roots of Asclepias curassavica (Asclepiadaceae). The new compounds were confirmed to contain 12-O-benzoylsarcostin, 12-O-benzoyldeacylmetaplexigenin, kidjolanin, and 12-O-benzoyltayloron, and one new acylated-oxypregnane, 12-O-(E)-cinnamoyltayloron, as their aglycones, using both ...

The phytochemical study using Caralluma umbellate (Asclepiadaceae) whole plant allowed the isolation of a novel C-21 steroidal glycoside, named as carumbelloside–IV. Carumbelloside –IV was evaluated in wistar rats using carraeenan induced left hind paw edema model. The isolated compound was administered in a dose dependant manner. This showed significant anti-inflammatory activity.