BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON PREGNANE DERIVATWES OCCURRING IN SOME COMPOSITAE FAMILY PLANTS

Abstract

In the present study, steroidal constituents and pregnane derivatives were

--•-investigated-in saff.lowel'; Ghamomile,--and santonica as representative examples •

of the compositae family.

I. The biological activities of pregnane derivatives from safflower, chamomile, and santonica seeds were determined through the action on mice uterine parameters (uterine weight, RNNDNA ratio, and protein content in the uterine tissues). II. The plant seeds were subjected to the following tests. The plant seeds were grinding to powdered seeds blended with methanol-chloroform mixture (2:1, v/v). The filterate was dried by using rotary evaporator and dried residue was kept in cool place. 1- Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographic technique was used for separation, estimation, and purification of the steroidal constituents. Thin-layer chromatographic and gas-liquid chromatographic techniques were also used for separation, estimation, and purification of steroidal constituents which extracted from plant seeds above mentioned. 2- The different constituents in present study were determined by gas-liquid chromatographic technique.