Pharmacological
Research
Communications,
Vol. 8, No. 2, 1976
159
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES ON ECHITOVENIDINE S.K.Bhattacharya and A.B.Ray Departments of Pharmacology and Medicinal Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu Varanasi and S.R.Guha Indian Institute of Experimental Medicine, India. Received
26 March
chemistry, University,
Calcutta,
1975
mmwr Echitovenidine, venenata,
fruit
oxidase
inhibitor
showed monoamine
in vivo -w
and --in vitro
the use of the Indian
the major
system
plant
tests. for
alkaloid activity
The experimental mental
of Alstonia
data
disorders
in
by both may rationalise
the
traditional
of medicine.
INTRODUCTION The fruits are
used
Indian with
for
the
system local
of
insanity
Ayurveda
(Chopra
reveals
a variety
of mental
diseases
of affective
disorders.
on chemical
that
Majumdar
Chatterjee S-amyrin
indole
(Pam.
Apocynaceae) in
dried
resemble
of A.venenata a monoterpene
alkaloids
(Das
et a1.,1973) and ursolic
acid
the
aJ.,l956).
the
which
investigations, seven
constituents,
et
The fruits
and Chatterjee,l968), et a1.,1972;
R.Br.
and epilepsy
physicians
concept
genous
venenata
Ayurvedic
in
yielded,
treatment
of medicine,
is used
far
of Alstonia
ancient An enquiry
fruit
powder
the modern have base
so
(Ray
et a1.,1966;
and two non-nitro(Pandey
and Ray,197:3)
Pharmacological
160
Echitovenidine,
the
major
possesses
a vincadifformine
common in
all
indole
Research
alkaloids1
constituent
skeleton
bases
Communications,
(Das
isolated
Vol. 8, No. 2, 1976
of
the
et al.,lY66j,
from
this
fruits, a feature
source.
Echitovenidine No pharmacological these
alkaloids.
cological
This
activity
study
has been
communication
reported
concerns
the
on any of
psychopharm$-
of echitovenidine.
MATERIAL AND METHODS Studies (100-150
g),
albino
The following (A)
Primary
(B)
Effect
(Voith (C)
mice (E)
head
methods
on inbred
(20-30
were
observational
strains
g) and mongrel
used test
on reserpine
in mice Effect
for
in vivo
in rats
(100
Effect
mg/kg
of albino
dogs
(lo-15
rats kg).
studies:-
and mice i.p.)
(Irwin,1964).
sleeping
time
in mice
mg/kg
i.p.)
induced
sedation
and
and Hebborn,l971). (10 m&kg
i,p.j
toxicity
in aggregated
et a1.,1969).
(Turner
mg/kg
i.p.)
response
in mice
on tryptamine (Tedeschi
induced
behavioural
response
and Hebborn,l971).
on 5-hydroxytryptophan
twitch
Effect
(Turner
on DOPA (100
Effect
in rats
(2.5
on amphetamine
(Trepanier
(G) Effect
(H)
mice
on hexobarbital
Effect
in mice (F)
conducted
and Herr,l969).
ptosis (D)
were
(5-HTP, (Corne
(5 mg/kg
50 mg/kg
i.p.)
induced
et a1.,1963). i.p.)
induced
(2 mg/kg
i.p.)
clonic
convulsions
et a1.,1960).
on subanalgesic
dose
of morphine
in
Pharmacological
rats
(Bhattacharya
by the (I)
Research
rat
Effect
wire
in rats
(Swinyard
Effect
dose
carotid
blood
tered
through
cannulated
toxicity
(2.5
mg/kg
et al.,1915
a ).
electroshock
pressure
animals
femoral
received
50 mg/kg,
otherwise
stated.
and control ficance
group.
have
in mice.
seizure
sodium,
35 mg/kg
Drugs
were
LD50 was calculated
in dilute i.p.,
equivalent
i.p.)
adminis-
by the
with
Student's
't'
and
'chit
at appropriate
determination
activity
was done by the method
modified
by Guha (1966),
using
and tyramine
water,
was used of 60 min,
been used
was mentioned.
of distilled
time
have
acid
otherwise
Echitovenidine
a pre-treatment
Ten animals
acetic
unless
volume
same route.
been used
In vitro
of enzyme
Anticonvulsant
vein.
of echitovenidine
pH 5, by the
of
of diphenyl-
induced
and respiration.
to pH 5 and administered
rendered
i.p.)
and Tainter(l944).
Solution
Control
et e.,1946).
(pentobarbital
studies
of Miller
adjusted
was tested
et a1.,1952).
on anaesthetised
(K) Acute
161
activity
(Davies
by the maximal
dog's
dose
technique
(Bhattacharya
was tested
method
Analgesic
on sub-anticonvulsant
activity method
Vol. 8, No. 2, 1976
et &.,1971).
tail-hot
hydantoin
(J)
Communications,
in a
unless
each drug
for
square
tests
treated
of
signi-
places.
of monoamine of Green rat
brain
oxidase
inhibitor
and Haughton
(1961)
as
mitochondria
as the
source
as substrate.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Echitovenidine
produced
tion
in rats
and mice,
characterised
tion,
startle
response,
compulsive
respiration. characterised
After
20-25
by sedation,
min,
initial
signs
of central
stimula-,
motility,
piloerec
by increased gnawing,
tremors
and hurried
signs
of central
depression
diminished
motility,
passivity
appeared, and
162
Pharmacological
clumping
together
marked
in mice
rats.
of while
In higher
convulsions, with
the
animals.
the
inhibitory
doses
which
nialamide
i.p.)
sleeping
The mean sleeping
it
was 56 2 6.8.
sedation
teserpine
The drug
of amphetamine period
in
group
behaviour,
the
5-HTP group, group,
and 27-29
produced
(P
Research
Communications,
Vol. 8, No. 2, 1976
159
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES ON ECHITOVENIDINE S.K.Bhattacharya and A.B.Ray Departments of Pharmacology and Medicinal Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu Varanasi and S.R.Guha Indian Institute of Experimental Medicine, India. Received
26 March
chemistry, University,
Calcutta,
1975
mmwr Echitovenidine, venenata,
fruit
oxidase
inhibitor
showed monoamine
in vivo -w
and --in vitro
the use of the Indian
the major
system
plant
tests. for
alkaloid activity
The experimental mental
of Alstonia
data
disorders
in
by both may rationalise
the
traditional
of medicine.
INTRODUCTION The fruits are
used
Indian with
for
the
system local
of
insanity
Ayurveda
(Chopra
reveals
a variety
of mental
diseases
of affective
disorders.
on chemical
that
Majumdar
Chatterjee S-amyrin
indole
(Pam.
Apocynaceae) in
dried
resemble
of A.venenata a monoterpene
alkaloids
(Das
et a1.,1973) and ursolic
acid
the
aJ.,l956).
the
which
investigations, seven
constituents,
et
The fruits
and Chatterjee,l968), et a1.,1972;
R.Br.
and epilepsy
physicians
concept
genous
venenata
Ayurvedic
in
yielded,
treatment
of medicine,
is used
far
of Alstonia
ancient An enquiry
fruit
powder
the modern have base
so
(Ray
et a1.,1966;
and two non-nitro(Pandey
and Ray,197:3)
Pharmacological
160
Echitovenidine,
the
major
possesses
a vincadifformine
common in
all
indole
Research
alkaloids1
constituent
skeleton
bases
Communications,
(Das
isolated
Vol. 8, No. 2, 1976
of
the
et al.,lY66j,
from
this
fruits, a feature
source.
Echitovenidine No pharmacological these
alkaloids.
cological
This
activity
study
has been
communication
reported
concerns
the
on any of
psychopharm$-
of echitovenidine.
MATERIAL AND METHODS Studies (100-150
g),
albino
The following (A)
Primary
(B)
Effect
(Voith (C)
mice (E)
head
methods
on inbred
(20-30
were
observational
strains
g) and mongrel
used test
on reserpine
in mice Effect
for
in vivo
in rats
(100
Effect
mg/kg
of albino
dogs
(lo-15
rats kg).
studies:-
and mice i.p.)
(Irwin,1964).
sleeping
time
in mice
mg/kg
i.p.)
induced
sedation
and
and Hebborn,l971). (10 m&kg
i,p.j
toxicity
in aggregated
et a1.,1969).
(Turner
mg/kg
i.p.)
response
in mice
on tryptamine (Tedeschi
induced
behavioural
response
and Hebborn,l971).
on 5-hydroxytryptophan
twitch
Effect
(Turner
on DOPA (100
Effect
in rats
(2.5
on amphetamine
(Trepanier
(G) Effect
(H)
mice
on hexobarbital
Effect
in mice (F)
conducted
and Herr,l969).
ptosis (D)
were
(5-HTP, (Corne
(5 mg/kg
50 mg/kg
i.p.)
induced
et a1.,1963). i.p.)
induced
(2 mg/kg
i.p.)
clonic
convulsions
et a1.,1960).
on subanalgesic
dose
of morphine
in
Pharmacological
rats
(Bhattacharya
by the (I)
Research
rat
Effect
wire
in rats
(Swinyard
Effect
dose
carotid
blood
tered
through
cannulated
toxicity
(2.5
mg/kg
et al.,1915
a ).
electroshock
pressure
animals
femoral
received
50 mg/kg,
otherwise
stated.
and control ficance
group.
have
in mice.
seizure
sodium,
35 mg/kg
Drugs
were
LD50 was calculated
in dilute i.p.,
equivalent
i.p.)
adminis-
by the
with
Student's
't'
and
'chit
at appropriate
determination
activity
was done by the method
modified
by Guha (1966),
using
and tyramine
water,
was used of 60 min,
been used
was mentioned.
of distilled
time
have
acid
otherwise
Echitovenidine
a pre-treatment
Ten animals
acetic
unless
volume
same route.
been used
In vitro
of enzyme
Anticonvulsant
vein.
of echitovenidine
pH 5, by the
of
of diphenyl-
induced
and respiration.
to pH 5 and administered
rendered
i.p.)
and Tainter(l944).
Solution
Control
et e.,1946).
(pentobarbital
studies
of Miller
adjusted
was tested
et a1.,1952).
on anaesthetised
(K) Acute
161
activity
(Davies
by the maximal
dog's
dose
technique
(Bhattacharya
was tested
method
Analgesic
on sub-anticonvulsant
activity method
Vol. 8, No. 2, 1976
et &.,1971).
tail-hot
hydantoin
(J)
Communications,
in a
unless
each drug
for
square
tests
treated
of
signi-
places.
of monoamine of Green rat
brain
oxidase
inhibitor
and Haughton
(1961)
as
mitochondria
as the
source
as substrate.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Echitovenidine
produced
tion
in rats
and mice,
characterised
tion,
startle
response,
compulsive
respiration. characterised
After
20-25
by sedation,
min,
initial
signs
of central
stimula-,
motility,
piloerec
by increased gnawing,
tremors
and hurried
signs
of central
depression
diminished
motility,
passivity
appeared, and
162
Pharmacological
clumping
together
marked
in mice
rats.
of while
In higher
convulsions, with
the
animals.
the
inhibitory
doses
which
nialamide
i.p.)
sleeping
The mean sleeping
it
was 56 2 6.8.
sedation
teserpine
The drug
of amphetamine period
in
group
behaviour,
the
5-HTP group, group,
and 27-29
produced
(P
