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Planta Med 1987; 53(1): 27-31
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-962610
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© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Isolation of Smooth Muscle Relaxing 1,3-Diarylpropan-2-ol Derivatives from Acacia tortilis

Mekonen Hagos1 , Gunnar Samuelsson1 , Lennart Kenne2 , Barakat M. Modawi3
  • 1Department of Pharmacognosy, Biomedical Center, University of Uppsala, Box 579, S-75123 Uppsala, Sweden.
  • 2Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • 3Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
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Publication History

1986

Publication Date:
24 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

Stem bark (covered with gum) of Acacia tortilis (Forsk.) Hayne subsp. raddiana (Savi) Brenan, used as a remedy against asthma in Somalia, contains two new pharmacologically active compounds named quracol A and B. Quracol A is 1-(2, 4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-propan-2-ol. Quracol B is 1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl)-propan-2-ol. The compounds have very low optical activity. No optical activity can be determined for quracol A. 1H-NMR with chiral shift reagents does not indicate quracol A to be racemic. In a CD-experiment, [θ]290 = -807 is found for quracol B. Both substances inhibit electrically induced contractions of the isolated guinea pig ileum at concentrations in the bath of 20 µg/ml. Histamine-induced contractions are also inhibited.