Planta Med 2009; 75 - PJ134
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234939

Investigation of irritation properties of some extracts and isolated triterpenes from birch, Betula pendula, Roth.

E Kovac-Besovic 1, K Duric 1, Z Kaloðera 2, N Mulabegović 3
  • 1University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Pharmacy, Čekaluša 90, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • 2University of Zagreb, Faculty of pharmacy and biochemistry Zagreb, Ante Kovačića 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
  • 3University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Čekaluša 90, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Interest for medicinal plants has increased all over the world, starting from usage of herbal products in cosmetics going beyond their application in auto medication by great number of patients. This effect emphasizes toxicology and clinical pharmacology of herbal preparations, so as to provide high quality information about pharmacological and toxicological properties of herbal drugs which are in every day usage.

Very important triterpene derivatives were identified and isolated from different parts of plant species birch. Betulae folium, birch leaf, Betula pendula Roth., Betulaceae, is official birch drug. Other birch parts are also in large use in pharmaceutical industry as well as in cosmetic and perfume industry. Pharmacological investigations were carried out using methods of irritation and sensibilization on eye, ear and skin of experimental animals, mouse, rats and rabbits. To those effects were tested samples of methanolic extracts and decocts of leaf and external birch bark as well as betulin and betulinic acid isolated from eternal birch bark.

Grade of irritation or corrosion was evaluated in determinate time intervals, scores were determinate as well and effects were described completely in order to obtain overall analyses of effects of investigated samples. According to the results obtained on rabbit eye after a on a one-time basis application of samples, with a great probability it is possible to deduce that investigated samples should not cause irritation on a human skin, respectively irritations should be present in a small number of users of preparations with different birch extracts.

During investigation of sensibilization of all tested samples, no presence of erythema or edema or any other sign has been noted which should point to intolerance of experimental animals.

References: [1] Tolstikova, T.G. et al. (2006) Bioorg. Khim. 32:42–55.

[2] Magalhaes, A.F. et al. (2003) Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 98:713–718.

[3] Flekhter, O.B. et al. (2002) Pharm. Chem. J. USSR 36:29–32.