O-(BETA-HYDROXYETHYL)-RUTOSIDES - CHEMICAL ASPECTS

Objective: To review the chemistry and composition of the venoactive drug Venoruton (O-(beta-hydroxyethyl)-rutosides). Data sources: Biological and biomedical literature from 1930 to date. Study selection: Literature relevant to the isolation, chemistry and pharmacology of the natural and semisynthetic rutosides has been selected. Data extraction: Not applicable. Data synthesis: The review shows that the naturally occurring compound rutin is one of a range of bioactive flavonoid compounds. Hydroxyethylation of the hydroxyl groups of rutin gives the venoprotective drug Venoruton, O-(beta-hydroxyethyl)-rutosides. Venoruton is now known to be composed of a standard mixture of mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-hydroxyethylated rutosides and their aglycones, of which five have been chosen as 'representative constituents'. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can be used to assay the constituents of this standard mixture. Conclusions: This review describes qualitatively and quantitatively the 'representative constiuents' of O-(beta-hydroxyethyl)-rutosides. The methods of separation and quantification of these constituents using HPLC is described.