PRELIMINARY CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PHARMACOLOGICALLY ACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF SYNADENIUM GLAUCESCENS

A test system based on the use of ion exchanges, gel filtration on Sephadex and extraction with organic solvents is described. This system provides information on the stability, molecular size, charge, and polarity of the pharmacologically active compounds in the aqueous plant extracts. Knowledge of these properties permitted the development of an isolation method for a glucose present in the aqueous extracts of the leaves of S.galucescens, responsible for the inhibition of the electrically induced contractions of a quinea pig ileum.