STUDIES ON THE CONSTITUENTS OF ACONITUM-SPECIES .9. THE PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF PYRO-TYPE ACONITINE ALKALOIDS, COMPONENTS OF PROCESSED ACONITE POWDER KAKO-BUSHI-MATSU - ANALGESIC, ANTIINFLAMMATORY AND ACUTE TOXIC ACTIVITIES

Eight pyro-type aconitine alkaloids contained in the processed aconite powder 'Kako-bushi-matsu' were studied for their analgesic, antiinflammatory and acute toxic actions. All these compounds showed significant analgesic and antiinflammatory actions. Among the pyro-type alkaloids, 16-epi-pyrojesaconitine and pyrojesaconitine were the most potent analgesics. The analgesic activity of pyro-type aconitine alkaloids was lower than that of each of the parent alkaloids. aconitine, mesaconitine, hypaconitine and jesaconitine. However, pyro-type aconitine alkaloids had very low toxicity, and the decreasing rates of the toxicity in changing from the parent alkaloids to the pyro-type aconitine alkaloids were much larger than those relating to the analgesic activity, Eight pyro-type aconitine alkaloids were found to inhibit the carrageenin-induced hind paw edema at 2 to 6 h after the carrageenin subplantar injection. Consequently, it was demonstrated that the pyro-type aconitine alkaloids produced through the processing of raw aconite roots, 'Bushi', have a role in the medicinal effects of the processed aconite powder 'Kako-bushi-matsu'.