Beneficial effect of Paulownia tomentosa growing in Egypt

Ali, Sanaa Ahmed
Sanaa Ahmed Ali, Prof. of Biochemistry, Therapeutic Chemistry Dept.; Nabaweya A. Ibrahim, Prof. of Pharmacognosy, Pharmacognosy Dept.; Prof. Seham El-Hawary, Pharmacognosy Dept., Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo Univ. Magdy Mostafa D. Mohammed; Esraa Abdel-Hamid Refaat, Pharmacognosy Dept., Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries, National Research Center.

The phytochemical and biological activities in Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud., for the first time in Egypt. The study revealed the presence of biologically active constituents viz, volatile oil, sterols, iridoids, triterpenes, phenolics and flavonoids. In the present study we have assessed the inhibitory effects of Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud. flowers, fruits and the isolated ursolic acid on hepatocarcinogenesis for the first time using a diethyl nitrosamine induced rats and group treated with the isolated ursolic acid showed the most significant results during the study, also group treated with P. tomentosa fruits showed remarkable results. The hepatoprotective activity of Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud. fruits was attributed to the isolated aucubin which was reported to have potent liver protecting activity. The hypoglycemic effect of the leaves and fruits of Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud., on normoglycemic and hyperglycemic rats was carried out for the first time.