The diastolic retinal arterial blood pressure was measured by Ophthalmodynamometer in 15 patients of essential hypertension before and after the administration of Raudixin three times a days. The follow up period was 4 to 70 days. The average fall of the systolic brachial blood pressure was 38.1 mmHg(from 174.6 to 136.5 mmHg) 19 days after the treatment, whereas the average fall of the diastolic brachial blood pressure was 19.6 mmHg (from 166.6 to 94.7 mmHg) 24 days after treatment. A positive correlation was demonstrated between the retinal and brachial diastolic blood pressures prior to the treatment. The diastolic brachial blood pressure showed its fall only 15 days after treatment, the average fall being 17.1 mmHg. During this period of time, the average fall of the diastolic retinal arterial pressure was 10.2 mmHg. In 6 cases, the retinal arterial pressure didn't fall back to the normal valures and in 5 cases of Keith-Wagener group II, the retinal arterial pressure remained unchanged in spite of the treatment. The percentage ratio of the retinal to the brachial diastolic blood pressure remained stationary in 3 cases, rose in 4 cases. The number of cases which show fall in this ratio gradually increased and about 80% of the cases demonstrated definite fall one month after treatment. The retinal arterial pressure remained stationary during 2 weeks after treatment in 60% of the cases. The significant lowering of the retinal arterial blood pressure was observed only one month after treatment in the majority of cases. The retinal arterial pressure fell below normal range in no case.
Arterial Pressure* ; Blood Pressure ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Rauwolfia* ; Reference Values ; Retinaldehyde*

OBJECTIVETo assess the in-vitro antibacterial activity and anti-inflammatory activity of orally administered different extracts (Hydro-alcoholic, methanolic, ethyl acetate and hexane) of Rauvolfia tetraphylla (R. tetraphylla) root bark in Carrageenan induced acute inflammation in rats.

METHODSIn-vitro antibacterial activity was evaluated for extracts against four Gram positive and four Gram negative bacteria by using cylinder plate assay. Hydro-alcoholic extract (70% v/v ethanol) at 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg doses and methanolic, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts at doses 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg were tested for anti-inflammatory activity in Carrageenan induced rat paw oedema model and paw thickness was measured every one hour up to 6 hrs.

RESULTSAll extracts of R. tetraphylla root bark showed good zone of inhibition against tested bacterial strains. In Carrageenan induced inflammation model, hydro-alcoholic and methanolic extract of R. tetraphylla root bark at three different doses produced significant (P<0.001) reduction when compared to vehicle treated control group and hexane, ethyl acetate extracts.

CONCLUSIONSIn the present study extracts of R. tetraphylla root bark shows good in-vitro antibacterial activity and in-vivo anti-inflammatory activity in rats.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; Carrageenan ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Edema ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Female ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rauwolfia ; chemistry

The study on the Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill., which belongs to Apocynaceae, was carried out to look for its chemical constituents and pharmacological activity. The isolation and purification were performed by chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and ODS (octadecyl silane) open column. The structures of obtained compounds were elucidated on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. Three indole alkaloids and one acridone alkaloid were isolated from chloroform layer extract and identified as ajmalicine B (1), sandwicine (2), raunescine (3) and 7-hydroxynoracronycine (4) separately. Ajmalicine B (1) is a new compound belonging to indole alkaloid. Compound 4 as an acridone alkaloid was a new type compound isolated from Rauvolfia genus for the first time. We also did some biological activity research on the new type compound (4) to explore other pharmacological activities in addition to antihypertensive activity.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Indole Alkaloids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Intestine, Small ; physiology ; MCF-7 Cells ; Molecular Structure ; Muscle Relaxation ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; physiology ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rabbits ; Rauwolfia ; chemistry