Abstract
Chonemorphine, a steroidal alkaloid isolated from Chonemorpha fragrans Moon (Apocyanaceae) was identified as an antimoebic principle during the course of a screening programme for novel antiparasitic agents from plant sources. At a dosage of 100 mg/kg × 4 chonemorphine led to a 100% cure of experimental hepatic infection in golden hamsters and cleared 90% of the intestinal infection in weanling Wistar rats at 200 mg/kg (x 4) dosages. The discovery of chonemorphine as an antiamoebic agent is an addition to the few known plant amoebicides such as emetine and conessine.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bhutani KK, Sharma GL, Ali M, Atal CK (1985) Tylophora alkaloids as the potential new amoebicidal agents. Abstr Asian Congress of Pharmacology Indian J Pharmacol 17:Suppl 1, pp 1–16
Chatterjee DK, Raether W, Iyer N, Ganguli BN (1984) Caerulomycin, an antifungal antibiotic with marked in vitro and in vivo activity against Entamoeba histolytica. Z Parasitenkd 70:569–573
Das B, Chatterjee A (1959) The chemistry of conemorphine. A steroidal alkaloid of Chonemorpha macrophylla and C. penangensis. University Coll Sci Calcutta. Chem Ind, Lond 1445–1446
Das KG, Pillay PP (1954) Chonemorphine, the chief alkaloid of Chonemorpha macrophylla. J Sci Int Res (India) 13 B: 602–605
Gasquet M, Bamba D, Babadjamian A, Balansard G, TimonDavid P, Metzger J (1985) Action amoebicide et anthelminthique du vernolide et de l'hydroxyvernolide isolés des feuilles de Vernonia colorata (Willd.) Drake. Eur J Med Chem Chim Ther 20:111–115
Jarumilinta R (1966) A simple method of inducing amoebic liver abscess in hamsters. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 60:139–145
Knight R (1980) The chemotherapy of amoebiasis. J Antimicrob Chemother 6:577–593
Litchfield JT, Wilcoxon F (1949) A simplified method of evaluating dose-effect experiments. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 96:99
Neal RA (1951) Some observations on the variation of virulence and response to chemotherapy of strains of Entamoeba histolytica in rats. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 44:439–452
Neal RA (1983) Experimental amoebiasis and the development of antiamoebic compounds. Parasitology 86:173–191
Shah V, Iyer SN, Bhat SV, Sunder R, de Souza NJ (1985) Antiamoebic and antitrichomonad principles of Ardisia oxyphylla (Myrsinaceae) and chonemorpha fragrans (Apocyanaceae). Abstr. 37th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress, Bangalore, p 16
Vakil BJ, Vakil NB (1983) Therapy. In: Amoebic diseases, a treatise. Basic and Business Publications, Bombay, pp 149–176
Woolfe G (1963) Chemotherapy of amoebiasis. In: Schnitzer RJ, Hawking F (eds) Experimental chemotherapy, vol 1. Academic Press, pp 355–443
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chatterjee, D.K., Iyer, N. & Ganguli, B.N. Antiamoebic activity of chonemorphine, a steroidal alkaloid, in experimental models. Parasitol Res 74, 30–33 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00534928
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00534928