Studies on the anti-inflammatory activity of aralia continentalis (II)

By tracing albumin stabilizing activity an anti-inflammatory component, continentalic acid was isolated from ether-soluble acidic fraction of Aralia continentalis. Continenetalic acid in a concentration of 0.115mg/3ml gave 50% inhibition for heat denaturation of albumin. The protein stabilizing potency of it was approximately three and eleven times that of phenylbutazone and that of salicylic acid, respectively. The anti-inflammatory actions of it and its methylester were investigated employing carrageenin-induced edema in rat paw. Continentalic acid administered s. c. showed an activity of about three times of hydrocortisone. When administered p. o., it was still active, but its methylester was more active than phenylbutazone, suggesting the poor absorption of it in gastorointestinal tract. Its chemical structure was identified by chemical and spectral studies as (-) pimara 8(14), 15-diene-19-oic acid, which was already isolated from A. dordata, but not reported for its biological activity.