Resin, a fatty substance, volatile oil, albumen, starch, a yellow coloring matter, lignin, salts, and ferric oxide The active principle is a glycosidic resin (m. p. acid val. 220.3-245, sap val.  160.5-164) present in the drug upto 10 per cent. It is similar to jalap. The resin is brownish, yellow and odourless with a bitter pungent taste which is soluble in alcohol and particularly soluble in ether (Diethyl ether  CH3-CH2-O-CH2-CH3). It contains an ether insoluble glycoside turpetin C34H56O16, which constitutes about half of the resin and two ether soluble glycosides, namely a-turpethein (8%) and B-turpethein (00.6%). Besides the resins the drug contains a small amount of volatile oil and yellow colored matter. This resin is active similar to jalap (Exogonium purga) which is well sustained by Indian turpeth.

Glucose, rhamnose, Scopoletin fructose obtained by acid and alkaline hydrolysis of resin. From resin turpethinic acids A, B, C, D and E isolated, all of them contained same sugar moiety. Aglycone of turpethinic acid A identified. Betulin, lipeol and sitosterol isolated from stem

Resin, a fatty substance, volatile oil, albumen, starch, a yellow colouring matter, lignin, salts, and ferric oxide. The root contains 10 per cent of resin, which is a glycoside named Turpethin, insoluble in ether, but soluble in alcohol, to which it gives a brown colour not removable by animal charcoal. To obtain pure, the alcoholic solution is concentrated; the resin is precipitated by, and afterwards boiled with, water, then dried, reduced to powder, digested with ether, and finally redissolved by absolute alcohol and deposited by ether. After being treated several times in this way, it is obtained in the state of a brownish  resin, yielding on pulverization a grey powder, which irritates the mucous membrane of the nostrils and mouth. It is inflammable, burning with a smoky flame and emitting irritant vapours. With strong bases it acts like jalapin, takes up water, and is transferred into a soluble acid, while with dilute acids it is decomposed into turpetholic acid, and glucose.

Trivrit contains sixteen amino acids both in hydrolysate and free forms and also gamma linolenic acid.  Trivrt is an excellent immunomodulator and antioxidant

The active principle of the leaves is a cardiotonic substance named oleandrin. It has anti-inflammatory and stimulant properties. The roots, bark and seeds contain cardio-active glycosides, formerly designated as neriodorin, neriodorein and karabin, which are anti-inflammatory and stimulant, good pain relievers.

The total ash is 4.2%. Resin content 9-10.50%

Turpeth resins have resemblance in colour and action to “turpeth material” an old name for basic sulphate of Mercury (HgSO4)

Antisecretory and Ulcer protective activity

Rajashekar M., et.al. (2006) found that oral administration of O. turpethum and its polyherbal formulation Avipattikar churna is effective in reducing gastric acid content, gastric ulcer, hyperacidity & related GIT disturbances in albino rats.

Anti-inflammatory activity 

An experimental study was carried out (Rajashekar M et al; 2006) to evaluate the effect of oral administration of root powder of O. turpethum and its polyherbal formulation Avipattikar churna on rat paw edema in albino rats. Results indicated that pretreatment with

the root powder of O. turpethum and Avipattikara churna (100 mg/kg body weight) reduced the formalin induced edema volume to

the extent of 36.45% and 27.11% respectively.

Hepatoprotective activity

In an experimental study (S. V. Suresh Kumar et al; 2006), effect of ethanolic extract of O. turpethum was assessed in paracetamol (PCM) induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. PCM intoxication in normal rats elevated the serum levels of SGOT, SGPT, Alkaline

phosphatage and bilirubin significantly, indicating acute centrilobular necrosis. The rats treated with ethanolic extract of O. turpethum

showed a significant reduction in all four biochemical parameters which was comparable with that of silymarin. The histopathological profile of the rat treated with ethanolic extract showed no visible deteriorations confirming the safety of the extract at 200 mg /kg body weight.

Anticancer and Antioxidant activities:

Antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of O. turpethum stems (100 mg/kg for 45 days) on 7,12 dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced breast cancer was investigated in female Sprague-Dawley rats (C. Anbuselvam et al; 2007). A significant increase in lipid peroxidation levels were observed in tested samples of cancer induced rats while the activities of enzymatic antioxidants such as Superoxide dysmutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and nonenzymatic antioxidants like glutathione, ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol were decreased in cancer bearing animals when compared to controlled animals. A significant (P- 0.05) increase in breast tumor weight was observed in DMBA group while breast tumor weight decreased significantly in combination of DMBA and O. turpethum

extract group. Investigators of this experiment recommended the use of the bioactive compounds from O. turpethum as a supplementary to anticancer medicines.

Cytotoxic activity -

Alluri V. Krishnarajua et al (2005) carried out Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality bioassay to investigate the cytotoxicity of aqueous

extract of O. turpethum. The extract showed moderate brine shrimp lethality and the LC 50 value was found to be 81 (lower than 100).

This significant lethality is an indicative of the presence of potent cytotoxic components in the herb which merit further investigation for its

antitumor activity.