PHARMACOLOGICALLY ACTIVE PHENYLPROPANOIDS FROM SENRA-INCANA

Coniferaldehyde, scopoletin, sinapaldehyde, and syringaldehyde were is olated from an aqueous extract of Senra incana. All four compounds inh ibited prostaglandin synthetase in a dose-dependent way. Compared to a spirin, the potency of coniferaldehyde and scopoletin was about five t imes higher, whereas syringaldehyde and sinapaldehyde had about half t he potency of this reference compound. On topical application, sinapal dehyde and scopoletin dose-dependently inhibited ethyl phenylpropiolat e-induced edema of the rat ear. The active dose range was 1-10-mu-g/ea r. Higher doses had a lower effect. Syringaldehyde was active in the r ange 20-100-mu-g/ear, whereas the effect of coniferaldehyde was inconc lusive. Coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde inhibited electrically induc ed contractions of the guinea pig ileum in a dose-dependent way. Syrin galdehyde showed a weak inhibition at a concentration of 550-mu-M.