title: Antiamoebic activity of chonemorphine, a steroidal alkaloid, in experimental models.
abstract: Chonemorphine, a steroidal alkaloid isolated from Chonemorpha fragrans Moon (Apocyanaceae) was identified as an antimoebic principle during the course of a screening programme for novel antiparasitic agents from plant sources. At a dosage of 100 mg/kg x 4 chonemorphine led to a 100% cure of experimental hepatic infection in golden hamsters and cleared 90% of the intestinal infection in weanling Wistar rats at 200 mg/kg (x4) dosages. The discovery of chonemorphine as an antiamoebic agent is an addition to the few known plant amoebicides such as emetine and conessine.
mesh_terms: D000563:Amebicides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004404:Dysentery, Amebic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000187:drug effects*; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011278:Pregnanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000563:Amebicides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011278:Pregnanes; C054612:chonemorphine