Hypotensive Agent from Cynomorium Coccineum

The Iranian plant Cynomorium coccineum was investigated and found to possess significant blood pressure lowering activity in the dog. Extensive chemical isolation and fractionation has revealed that the depressor components were mainly present in the fresh juice of the plant. The fractions, by various organic solvents, of the dried powdered plant lacked significant depressor activity. However, the fresh juice of the plant as well as the water soluble fractions of the fresh juice exhibited strong depressor activity. Spectroscopic metal analysis and infrared and Mass spectra of the active fractions seem to suggest the inorganic nature of these fractions with very low carbon and hydrogen contents which are present, perhaphs, in some special molecular arrangement that becomes disrupted due to sensitivity to the analytical procedures employed.