Antiinflammatory activity and chemical composition of extracts of Verbena officinalis

In an attempt to locate the biologically active fraction(s) of the plant Ve rbena officinalis Linn. (Verbenaceae), a preliminary screening of successiv e petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol extracts of aerial parts for ant iinflammatory activity using carrageenan paw oedema model was carried out. All three extracts were found to exhibit antiinflammatory activity with the chloroform extract being the most active. Chemical investigations of petro leum ether and chloroform extracts led to the isolation of p-sitosterol, ur solic acid, oleanolic acid, 3-epiursolic acid, 3-epioleanolic acid, and min or triterpenoids of derivatives of ursolic acid and oleanolic acids. Chroma tographic purification of the methanol extract yielded two iridoid glucosid es, verbenalin and hastatoside, a phenylpropanoid glycoside, verbascoside a nd beta-sitosterol-D-glucoside. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.