Studies on anti-complementary activity of extracts and isolated flavones from Ligustrum vulgare and Phillyrea latifolia leaves (Oleaceae)

Polar fractions and flavones isolated from methanolic extracts of the leave s of Ligustrum vulgare and Phillyrea latifolia (Oleaceae), whose popular us e as an anti inflammatory is well-known in Mediterranean historical medicin e and ethnobotany, showed significant in vitro complement inhibiting effect on the classical pathway of the complement system. Among the isolated flav onoidic structures, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-rutinoside, luteol in-4'-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside and ligustroflavone presented rem arkable activity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserve d.