Diuretic Properties and Chemical Constituent Studies onStauntonia brachyanthera

Abstract

The pharmacological evaluation demonstrated that the extracts from the stem ofS. brachyantheracould significantly increase the outputs of urine of rats compared to those of furosemide treated group, and the effect could last for a longer period of time. The best effect appeared in the first two hours, which scientifically confirmed the diuretic effect of the plant. The comparative pharmacognosy study showed that the characters of the crude drugs of the stem ofS. brachyantherawere similar to those ofAkebia caulis. Further systemic work on its chemical constituents by chromatographic methods and NMR elucidations led to the isolation of 10 triterpenoids, 6 flavonoids, 4 lignanoids, and 3 phenylethanoid glycosides, whose structural types were much similar to those ofA. quinata. Among them, 7 compounds were firstly reported in the genus ofStauntoniaand calceolarioside B was the common characteristic constituent in both plants. From the similar pharmacognosy characters, pharmacological effects, and chemical constituents, it could be concluded thatS. brachyantherahave a great possibility to be a succedaneum ofAkebia caulis, whose supply is extremely short in recent years.