Abstract: Methods for obtaining paclitaxel from plants containing paclitaxel are disclosed. Plant material is first obtained from plants containing paclitaxel. Paclitaxel is then extracted from the plant material. Subsequently, paclitaxel is separated from the paclitaxel extract using a series of column chromatography separation steps to obtain at least one fraction containing paclitaxel. The paclitaxel in a fraction that is obtained from the final chromatography step is crystallized. Using these methods, high purity paclitaxel may be efficiently obtained from plants containing paclitaxel.

Abstract: A novel taxane derivative with anticancer activity, a process for its preparation and a process for the preparation of 14-?-hydroxy-1,14-carbonate-baccatine III and V derivatives 13-substituted by an isoserine residue.

Abstract: A soya extract having a content of glucoside isoflavones of at least 13% by weight and a content of 0.6 to 1.5 parts by weight of group 3 soya saponins per 1 part by weight of glucoside isoflavones. Also, pharmaceutical compositions containing this extract and methods of administering the extract to treat conditions such as pre- or post-menopausal symptoms, cancer, such as breast or prostate cancer, or alcoholism. The extracts are made by a process which includes the steps of treating ripe whole soya beans or oil-free soya flour with an aliphatic alcohol to obtain a first extract; concentrating the first extract to form a concentrated first extract; purifying the concentrated first extract by treatment with at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon; and extracting active components from the purified concentrated first extract with a water-immiscible aliphatic alcohol to obtain a second extract. Preferably, the final extract is concentrated dried to form the desired soya extract.

Abstract: A soya extract having a content of glucoside isoflavones of at least 13% by weight and a content of 0.6 to 1.5 parts by weight of group B soya saponins per 1 part by weight of glucoside isoflavones. Also, pharmaceutical compositions containing this extract and methods of administering the extract to treat conditions such as pre- or post-menopausal symptoms, cancer, such as breast or prostrate cancer, or alcoholism. The extracts are made by a process which includes the steps of treating ripe whole soya beans or oil-free soya flour with an aliphatic alcohol to obtain a first extract; concentrating the first extract to form a concentrated first extract; purifying the concentrated first extract by treatment with at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon; and extracting active components from the purified concentrated first extract with a water-immiscible aliphatic alcohol to obtain a second extract. Preferably, the final extract is concentrated and dried to form the desired soya extract.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for extracting Hypericum perforatum (St.-Johns-wort) by fractioning water-alcohol, alcohol extracts of the plant with esters of water-immiscible C1-C5 alcohols. The extracts have high activity and are stable over time. The invention also relates to formulations containing the extract.

Abstract: The extract of the pericarp of Zanthoxylum bungeanum, prepared by extraction with carbon dioxide in supercritical conditions, has remarkable analgesic activity without exerting the local anesthetic activity characteristic of the extracts obtained by solvent means. The product of the present invention is prepared by extracting the pericarp of Zanthoxylurn bungeanum, finely ground or transformed into pellets, with carbon dioxide under pressure conditions ranging from 150 to 300 bars at temperatures ranging from 35 to 55° C.

Abstract: A soya extract having a content of glucoside isoflavones of at least 13% by weight and a content of 0.6 to 1.5 parts by weight of group 3 soya saponins per 1 part by weight of glucoside isoflavones. Also, pharmaceutical compositions containing this extract and methods of administering the extract to treat conditions such as pre- or post-menopausal symptoms, cancer, such as breast or prostate cancer, or alcoholism. The extracts are made by a process which includes the steps of treating ripe whole soya beans or oil-free soya flour with an aliphatic alcohol to obtain a first extract; concentrating the first extract to form a concentrated first extract; purifying the concentrated first extract by treatment with at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon; and extracting active components from the purified concentrated first extract with a water-immiscible aliphatic alcohol to obtain a second extract. Preferably, the final extract is concentrated dried to form the desired soya extract.

Abstract: A method for separating paclitaxel from cephalomannin and other related compounds by obtaining a starting material that contains paclitaxel and cephalomannin; dissolving the starting material in any one of a number of particularly defined solvents such as butyl formate and butyl acetate to form a mixture; subjecting the mixture to column chromatography to obtain an eluted fraction of paclitaxel, an eluted fraction of cephalomannin and a residue; and separately drying the paclitaxel and cephalomannin fractions to obtain separate crystalline forms of paclitaxel and cephalomannin, respectively.

Abstract: A soya extract having a content of glucoside isoflavones of at least 13% by weight and a content of 0.6 to 1.5 parts by weight of group 3 soya saponins per 1 part by weight of glucoside isoflavones. Also, pharmaceutical compositions containing this extract and methods of administering the extract to treat conditions such as pre- or post-menopausal symptoms, cancer, such as breast or prostate cancer, or alcoholism. The extracts are made by a process which includes the steps of treating ripe whole soya beans or oil-free soya flour with an aliphatic alcohol to obtain a first extract; concentrating the first extract to form a concentrated first extract; purifying the concentrated first extract by treatment with at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon; and extracting active components from the purified concentrated first extract with a water-immiscible aliphatic alcohol to obtain a second extract. Preferably, the final extract is concentrated dried to form the desired soya extract.

Abstract: The extract of the pericarp of Zanthoxylum bungeanum, prepared by extraction with carbon dioxide in supercritical conditions, has remarkable analgesic activity without exerting the local anesthetic activity characteristic of the extracts obtained by solvent means. The product of the present invention is prepared by extracting the pericarp of Zanthoxylurn bungeanum, finely ground or transformed into pellets, with carbon dioxide under pressure conditions ranging from 150 to 300 bars at temperatures ranging from 35 to 55° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for extracting Hypericum perforatum (St.-Johns-wort) by fractioning water-alcohol, alcohol, or acetone extracts of the plant with esters of water-immiscible C1-C5 alcohols. The extracts have high activity and are stable over time. The invention also relates to formulations containing the extract.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel oxazolidinecarboxylic acids. These oxazolidinecarboxylic acids are useful intermediates for the esterification of taxane synthons to provide taxanes esterified with an isoserine residue.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel colchicine derivatives having antiproliferative, antineoplastic, antiinflammatory and muscle relaxant activities; said derivatives include novel colchine nitrogen amides for use either as such or after derivatization of the hydroxyl at C.sub.3 of the aromatic ring and at C.sub.10 of the tropolone ring. These novel compounds have a cytotoxicity on human tumoral cell lines comparable with colchicine but, in comparison with the latter, they are much more active on cells resistant to the usual antiblastics. The compounds can be included in pharmaceutical formulations useful for the intravenous, oral and topical administrations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel colchicine derivatives of formula (1), where Y is a --CH.sub.2 --CH--NH--R.sub.3 group or a --CH--CH.sub.2 OR.sub.3 group and the other variables are as defined in claim 1, having antiproliferative, antitumoral and anti-inflammatory activities. The novel compounds have a cytotoxicity on human tumoral cell lines comparable with colchicine, but, in comparison with the latter, they are less toxic and more selective, particularly on cells resistant to the usual medicaments. Some compounds have a marked activity on TNF and interleukine 2, and therefore are very potent anti-inflammatory agents. They can be included in pharmaceutical formulations useful for the parenteral, oral and topical administrations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel derivatives obtained by oxidation and the stereospecific reduction of 10-deacetylbaccatine III, and successive esterification with a variously substituted isoserine chain to prepare taxol analogues. The products of the invention have cytotoxic and anti-tumoural activities and, when suitably formulated, can be administered by injection and/or orally.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel derivatives of 10-deacetylbaccatine III and of 10-deacetyl-14 .beta.-hydroxybaccatine III, having cytoxic and anti-tumoral activity. They are prepared starting from the so-called syntons or from other taxanes of natural origin, by selective oxidation of the hydroxyl in position 10 to keto function and subsequent esterification in position 13, if necessary, with isoserine chains variously substituted. The products of the invention can be administered by injection or orally, when suitably formulated.

Abstract: Isolation of a new taxane having pharmaceutical activity, 1a 14-beta-hydroxy-10-deacetyl-baccatine III and hemisynthesis of some derivatives useful as antitumor agents and intermediates.

Abstract: Isolation of a new taxane having pharmaceutical activity, 1a 14-beta-hydroxy-10-deacetyl-baccatine III and hemisynthesis of some derivatives useful as antitumor agents and intermediates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new taxane having the structure (1), which is isolatable from root bark of plants of the Taxus genus. The compound (1) is endowed with antitumor activity higher than the one of taxol, the former being active, unlike the latter, also against adriamicine resistant cells and as antileukemic drug.

Abstract: Oral pharmaceutical compositions containing high content anthocyanosides, preferably higher than 80% w/w, suspended in fractionated coconut oil have higher bioavailability than water solutions or suspensions in other lipophilic carriers.