Marsypianthes chamaedrys is a common herb that occurs in the North and Nort
heast regions of Brazil. Phytochemical studies showed this plant to be rich
in triterpenoids, The hexane extract of M. chamaedrys yielded, after chrom
atographic separations, two mixtures: the first containing monohydroxylated
compounds (alpha-amyrin, beta-amyrin, lupeol and germanicol) and the secon
d, dihydroxylated compounds (chamaedrydiol, castanopsol, 2 alpha-hydroxylup
eol and epigermanidiol), Molluscicidal tests were performed for the crude h
exane extract and for mixtures I and II. Mixture II showed high activity, C
opyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.