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Ligustrum vulgare and Phillyrea latifolia leaves were well known in the Mediterranean historical medicine for their oropharyngeal anti-inflammatory effects. At the present time a popular phytotheraputical use of these species remains only in a few isolated southern European areas. Phytochemical and phytopharmacological studies of the methanolic extractives of their leaves were carried out. Flavonoidic fractions as well as different isolates, apigenin and luteolin derivatives showed significant in vitro complement inhibiting effects on the classical pathway of the complement system. A possible phytoceutical utilisation of the aerial parts of these species could represent (especially regarding the genus Phillyrea) an interesting perspective for many semi-arid Mediterranean regions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.