Phytochemical study of Piliostigma thonningii , a medicinal plant grown in Nigeria

AbstractPiliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redhead. (Leguminosae) is used for various medicinal purposes in African countries. Phytochemical investigation ofP. thonningii yielded two compounds newly isolated from natural sources, 2β-methoxyclovan-9α-ol (1), and methyl-ent-3β-hydroxylabd-8(17)-en-15-oate (2), along with 14 known compounds (3–16). Compounds1 and4 (alepterolic acid) showed potential selectivity towardsTrypanosoma brucei brucei with IC50 7.89 and 3.42  μM, respectively. Compound2 showed activity towardsT. brucei andLeishmania donovani Amastigote with IC50 3.84 and 7.82  μM, respectively. The structure activity relationship (SAR) of the isolated metabolites suggested that hydroxylation at C-2 enhances the antiprotozoal activity towardsT. brucei in sesquiterpenes1 and3. Similarly hydroxylation at C-3 in labdane diterpenes elevates the antiprotozoal activity towardsT. brucei.
Source: Medicinal Chemistry Research - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research