PHYTOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF RUSSELIA EQUISTIFORMIS (SCROPHELARIACEAE) CULTIVATED IN EGYPT

Abstract

From the methanol extract of Russelia equisetiformis (Scrophelariaceae) cultivated in Egypt ten phenolic compounds were isolated and identified as gallic acid, methylgallate, vicenin II, chrysoeriol-7-O-ß-D-4 C 1 glucopyranoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-ß-D-4 C 1-arabinoside, quercetrin, apigenin, luteolin and acetoside. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis chromatographic and spectroscopic data (UV, IR and NMR) where all compounds were isolated for the first time except acetoside. The biological investigation antidepressant and hepatoprotective effect of different extracts of Russelia equisetiformis was carried out, concerning the antidepressant property the n-butanol was the most active, followed by aqueous and crude phenylethanoids extract respectively and Fluoxetine as reference standard, while the hydro-alcohol extract exhibited significant hepatoprotective effect against carbon tetrachloride injured liver cells.