THE ANTIPHLOGISTIC ACTIVITIES AND TOXCITIES OF SOME CONSTITUENTS ISOLATED FROM COMPOSITE RECIPE ZHEN-TONG, A MIXTURE OF BIDENS BIPINNATA L. AND CLERODENDRON TRICHOTOMUM THUNB.

This paper reports the antiphlogistic activities and toxic effects of the total alkaloid, the total steroid, and six other fractions separated from Composite Recipe Zhen-Tong, a mixture of Bidens bipinnata L. and Clerodendron trichotomum Thunb. Both the total alkaloid and the total steroid exhibited antiphlogistic activity at large doses on egg white edema and formalin irritation arthritis in rats.Choline chloride, the chief constituent of the total alkaloid, was found to be devoid of antiphlogistic activity. However, the mother liquor of the total alkaloid from which choline chloride had been removed was shown to be effective on egg white edema.When the mother liquor was further separated into six fractions (A, B, C, D, E, and F) according to their solubility characteristics, only fraction B (an amphoteric substance) was found to retain the anti- phlogistic activity. The total alkaloid caused toxic symptoms similar to parasympathetic nerve stimula- tion.