Bioactive constituents of the roots of Polyalthia cerasoides

A new dimeric aporphine alkaloid, bidebiline E (1), and a new natural product, octadeca-9,11,13-triynoic acid (2), along with three known sesquiterpenes, alpha-humulene (3), caryophyllene oxide (4), and (-)-alpha-cadinol (5), and four known isoquinoline alkaloids, laudanosine (6), codamine (7), laudanidine (8), and reticuline (9), were isolated from the roots of Polyalthia cerasoides. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were established on the basis of their 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. Among these isolates, 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8 exhibited antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, while 1- 3 showed antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis using in vitro assays.     

Bioactive styryllactones and alkaloid from flowers of Goniothalamus laoticus

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Goniothalamus laoticus (Annonaceae) is being used traditionally as a tonic and a febrifuge by the local people in the northeastern part of Thailand.

Aim of study

To investigate the Thai medicinal plant, Goniothalamus laoticus, for antiplasmodial, antimycobacterial and cytotoxicity activities.

Materials and methods

The flowers extracts of Goniothalamus laoticus were isolated by chromatographic techniques. Structures of isolated compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods. The antiplasmodial, antimycobacterial and cytotoxicity evaluation of styryllactone derivatives and alkaloid were also performed.

Results

Ten compounds, cinnamic acid (1); dihydrochrysine (2); β-sitosterol (3); six styryllactones, (+)-3-acetylaltholactone (4), goniotriol (5), (+)-altholactone (6), (+)-goniofufurone (7), 9-deoxygoniopypyrone (8), howiinin A (9); and an aporphine alkaloid; (−)-nordicentrine (10) were isolated from flowers of Goniothalamus laoticus. Among these, compounds 1, 3–5, 8–10 are first isolated from the Goniothalamus laoticus. Besides, compound 10 is the first report from the Goniothalamus genus. The isolated compounds were evaluated in antiplasmodial, antimycobacterial and anticancer cell lines tests. Compounds 4–6 and 10 exhibited antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum (IC₅₀ 2.6, 7.9, 2.6 and 0.3 μg/mL, respectively), while 5, 6, 9 and 10 showed antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MIC 100, 6.25, 6.25 and 12.5 μg/mL, respectively). In addition, compounds 4–10 showed cytotoxicity against cancer cells, KB, BC1, NCI-H187, and MCF-7 with IC₅₀ ranging from 0.4 to 22.7 μg/mL.

Conclusion

This finding showed that the styryllactone derivatives and alkaloid isolated from the flowers of Goniothalamus laoticus exhibited antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, antimycobacterail against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and cytotoxicity against four cancer cell lines.     

C-7 oxygenated coumarins from the fruits of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Micromelum minutum</Emphasis>

A new 7-oxygenated coumarin, 7-demethylmurralonginol isovalerate (1), and a new natural product, murralonginol (2), together with seven known 7-oxygenated coumarins, murralonginol isovalerate (3), murralongin (4), micromelin (5), scopoletin (6), microminutin (7), murrangatin (8), and minumicrolin (9), were isolated from the fruits of Micromelum minutum. The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of their 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. Among these isolates, compounds 2 and 4–9 exhibited cytotoxicity against cholangiocarcinoma cell line, KKU-100.