Abstract: The present invention provides a process for production of an anticancer taxoid brevifoliol of the formula I from plants belonging to the genus Taxus by first extracting the dried and pulverized leaves of the plant with an alcohol preferably at a temperature in the range of 20-40° C. and then. concentrating the solvent to obtain an alcoholic extract. The alcoholic extract obtained is then adsorbed with an adsorbent and the resulting adsorbed material is then dried at a temperature ranging from 20-50° C. for 4-48 hours. The dried adsorbed material is then extracted with a combination of an aliphatic solvent and a chlorinated solvent successively and concentrated to obtain a residue. The residue is subjected to gross fractionation using column chromatography such as silica gel, florosil and silicic acid followed by chromatography with a suitable adsorbent to get brevifoliol.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel pharmaceutical composition consisting of a combination of three coumarinolignoids of formula 1, 2 and 3 isolated from the seeds of the plant Cleome viscose along with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier useful as a immunomodulator. The invention also describes the ability of the compounds to modulate humorral and cell mediated immune response. It further provides a process for the preparation of a novel pharmaceutical composition of the said three coumarinolignoids in an optimized ratio to modulate humorral and cell mediated immune response.

Abstract: Demethylation of 3?,4?-dimethoxy or 3?,4?,5?-trimethoxy benzoic ester of a phenol is carried out in the presence of an excess of aluminum halide in an organic solvent to get 4?-Hydroxy, 3?-methoxy or 4? hydroxy, 3?,5?-dimethoxy benzoic acid ester of a phenol. The reaction is also applicable to 3?,4?,5?-trimethoxy diaryl ketone and some natural products like reserpine.