Molluscicidal constituents of Marsypianthes chamaedrys

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.