Anti-trypanosomal screening of Salvadoran flora

This study aimed to screen the anti-trypanosomal activity of plant species from Salvadoran flora. Plants were selected through literature search for plants ethnobotanically used for antiparasitic and Chagas disease symptomatology, and reported in Museo de Historia Natural de El Salvador (MUHNES) database.T. cruzi was incubated for 72  h with 2 different concentrations of methanolic extracts of 38 species, among which four species,Piper jacquemontianum,Piper lacunosum,Trichilia havanensis, andPeperomia pseudopereskiifolia, showed the activity ( ≤ 52.0% viability) at 100 µg/mL. Separation of the methanolic extract of aerial parts fromPiper jacquemontianum afforded a new flavanone (4) and four known compounds, 2,2-dimethyl-6-carboxymethoxychroman-4-one (1), 2,2-dimethyl-6-carboxychroman-4-one (2), cardamomin (3), and pinocembrin (5), among which cardamomin exhibited the highest anti-trypanosomal activity (IC50 = 66 µM). Detailed analyses of the spectral data revealed that the new compound4, named as jaqueflavanone A, was a derivative of pinocembrin having a prenylated benzoate moiety at the 8-position of the A ring.Graphic abstract
Source: Journal of Natural Medicines - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research