INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF CALCINOGE NIC PLANTS - QUALITATIVE-EVALUATION AND QUANTITATIVE-EVALUATION

Different research methods demonstrated the presence of variable quant ities of Vitamin D as well as its metabolites in calcinogenic plants. Most of the experiments indicated that the active component most proba bly should be the metabolite 1,25 (OH)(2)D-3 linked as a glycoside. By this research it was achieved to evaluate the presence of elements wi th Vitamin D-like activity in the calcinogenic plants Solanum malacoxy lon, Cestrum diurnum, Trisetum flavescens and Nierembergia veitchii by testing different extracts of the above plants by oral application to rachitic chicks within the research model ''Strontium added Alimentat ion''. After the oral administration of the extracts, the serum was an alysed to determine the level of the elements calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase. The results gained with chicks demonstrated the presence of substances with Vitamin D-like activity in the 4 plants. S olanum malacoxylon and Cestrum diurnum as well contained substances of hydrosoluble character with elevated activity which was indicated by the significant high levels of calcium and phosphorus combined with a reduced activity of the alkaline phosphatase. This indicated the prese nce of 1,25 (OH)(2)D-3 in both plants. The hydrosoluble character of t he active substance in both plants is most probably explained as a com pound of the metabolite 1,25 (OH)(2)D-3, combined as a glycoside in th e position 0-25 of the molecule. Nierembergia veitchii and Trisetum fl avescens contained only minor concentration of elements with hydrosolu ble characteristics. The results of the 4 analysed plants were evaluat ed quantitatively as follows: Solanum malycoxylon -82 800 IU of Vitami n D/kg, Cestrum diurnum -63 200 IU of Vitamin D/kg, Nierembergia veitc hii -16 400 IU/kg and Trisetum flavescens 12 000 Vitamin D IU/kg. All concentrations are calcinogenic.