title: Anti-conjunctivitis effect of fresh juice of xGraptoveria (Crassulaceae): A phytochemical and ethnobotanical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The parent of xGraptoveria, Graptopetalum paraguayense, is used in Chinese folk medicine for alleviating hepatic disorders, detumescence and detoxication, lowering of blood pressure, inhibition of cancer cells, exerting diuretic effects, relieving pain and infections. No data are available regarding its anti-conjunctivitis effect. The aim of this preliminary study is to test the anti-conjunctivitis properties of xGraptoveria (Crassulaceae) and to identify its bioactive constituents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh watery juice of leaves of xGraptoveria was extracted with n-butanol and the extract was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The ethnobotanical appraisal of the anti-conjunctivitis properties of xGraptoveria was based on 11 interviews about the symptoms against which this plant demonstrated positive effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fresh juice of xGraptoveria leaves applied directly to the irritated eye 2 times per day cured conjunctivitis in all reported cases. The main groups of organic compounds identified by GC/MS analysis in the fresh extracted leaf juice of xGraptoveria were: Alkylamines, hydroxycarboxylic acids, aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids, amino acids, alcohols, aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this preliminary study, it is suggested that xGraptoveria exerts anti-conjunctivitis activity, through synergistic effect of different chemical compounds, most probably alkylamines and mainly hydroxycarboxylic, aliphatic, and aromatic carboxylic acids.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Nadezhda V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Markova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Daniela I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Batovska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Ekaterina K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kozuharova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Venelin G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Enchev
keywords: Alkylamines; conjunctivitis; ethnobotanical; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; xGraptoveria leaf juice