Endiandric Acid Derivatives and Other Constituents of Plants from the Genera Beilschmiedia and Endiandra (Lauraceae)

Lenta Ndjakou B, Chouna JR, Nkeng-Efouet PA, Sewald N. Endiandric Acid Derivatives and Other Constituents of Plants from the Genera Beilschmiedia and Endiandra (Lauraceae). BIOMOLECULES. 2015;5(2):910-942.Plants of the Lauraceae family are widely used in traditional medicine and are sources of various classes of secondary metabolites. Two genera of this family, Beilschmiedia and Endiandra, have been the subject of numerous investigations over the past decades because of their application in traditional medicine. They are the only source of bioactive endiandric acid derivatives. Noteworthy is that their biosynthesis contains two consecutive non-enzymatic electrocyclic reactions. Several interesting biological activities for this specific class of secondary metabolites and other constituents of the two genera have been reported, including antimicrobial, enzymes inhibitory and cytotoxic properties. This review compiles information on the structures of the compounds described between January 1960 and March 2015, their biological activities and information on endiandric acid biosynthesis, with 104 references being cited

Symphonin: A new prenylated pyranoxanthone With antimicrobial activity from the seeds of Symphonia globulifera (guttiferae)

A new prenylated pyranoxanthone, symphonin (1), 2-(3,3-dimethylallyl)-1,5- dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-2”,2”-dimethylpyrano (5”,6”:3,4) xanthone, the known compounds guttiferone A, oleanolic acid and  sitosterol  were isolated from the methanol extract of the seeds of Symphonia globulifera (Guttiferae). The structural elucidation of the new compound was based mainly on spectroscopic analyses. The new xanthone showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus feacalis, Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli. KEY WORDS: Symphonia globulifera, Seeds, Xanthone, Antimicrobial activity  Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2004, 18(2), 175-180

Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Medicinal Plants and Herbs

Human beings have relied on herbs and medicinal plants as sources of food and remedy from time immemorial. Bioactive compounds from plants are currently the subject of much research interest, but their extraction as part of phytochemical and/or biological investigations present specific challenges. Herbalists or scientists have developed many protocols of extraction of bioactive ingredients to ensure the effectiveness and the efficacy of crude drugs that were used to get relief from sickness. With the advent of new leads from plants such as morphine, quinine, taxol, artemisinin, and alkaloids from Voacanga species, a lot of attention is paid to the mode of extraction of active phytochemicals to limit the cost linked to the synthesis and isolation. Thus, the extraction of active compounds from plants needs appropriate extraction methods and techniques that provide bioactive ingredients-rich extracts and fractions. The extraction procedures, therefore, play a critical role in the yield, the nature of phytochemical content, etc. This chapter aims to present, describe, and compare extraction procedures of bioactive compounds from herbs and medicinal plants

Antiplasmodial Properties and Cytotoxicity of Endophytic Fungi from Symphonia globulifera (Clusiaceae)

Ateba JET, Toghueo RMK, Awantu AF, et al. Antiplasmodial Properties and Cytotoxicity of Endophytic Fungi from Symphonia globulifera (Clusiaceae). JOURNAL OF FUNGI. 2018;4(2): UNSP 70.There is continuing need for new and improved drugs to tackle malaria, which remains a major public health problem, especially in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Natural products represent credible sources of new antiplasmodial agents for antimalarial drug development. Endophytes that widely colonize healthy tissues of plants have been shown to synthesize a great variety of secondary metabolites that might possess antiplasmodial benefits. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antiplasmodial potential of extracts from endophytic fungi isolated from Symphonia globulifera against a chloroquine-resistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum (PfINDO). Sixty-one fungal isolates with infection frequency of 67.77% were obtained from the bark of S. globulifera. Twelve selected isolates were classified into six different genera including Fusarium, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Mucor, and Bipolaris. Extracts from the 12 isolates were tested against PfINDO, and nine showed good activity (IC50 < 10 mu g.mL(-1)) with three fungi including Paecilomyces lilacinus (IC50 = 0.44 mu g.mL(-1)), Penicillium janthinellum (IC50 = 0.2 mu g.mL(-1)), and Paecilomyces sp. (IC50 = 0.55 mu g.mL(-1)) showing the highest promise. These three isolates were found to be less cytotoxic against the HEK293T cell line with selectivity indices ranging from 24.52 to 70.56. Results from this study indicate that endophytic fungi from Symphonia globulifera are promising sources of hit compounds that might be further investigated as novel drugs against malaria. The chemical investigation of active extracts is ongoing

Antiparasitic Constituents of Beilschmiedia louisii and Beilschmiedia obscura and Some Semisynthetic Derivatives (Lauraceae)

Waleguele CC, Mba’ning BM, Awantu AF, et al. Antiparasitic Constituents of Beilschmiedia louisii and Beilschmiedia obscura and Some Semisynthetic Derivatives (Lauraceae). Molecules. 2020;25(12): 2862.The MeOH/CH2Cl2 (1:1) extracts of the roots and leaves of Beilschmiedia louisii and B. obscura showed potent antitrypanosomal activity during preliminary screening on Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Phytochemical investigation of these extracts led to the isolation of a mixture of two new endiandric acid derivatives beilschmiedol B (1) and beilschmiedol C (2), and one new phenylalkene obscurene A (3) together with twelve known compounds (4–15). In addition, four new derivatives (11a–11d) were synthesized from compound 11. Their structures were elucidated based on their NMR and MS data. Compounds 5, 6, and 7 were isolated for the first time from the Beilschmiedia genus. Additionally, the NMR data of compound 4 are given here for the first time. The isolates were evaluated for their antitrypanosomal and antimalarial activities against Tb brucei and the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistant strain Pf3D7 in vitro, respectively. From the tested compounds, the mixture of new compounds 1 and 2 exhibited the most potent antitrypanosomal activity in vitro with IC50 value of 4.91 μM

Compounds from <em>Terminalia mantaly</em> L. (Combretaceae) Stem Bark Exhibit Potent Inhibition against some Pathogenic Yeasts and Enzymes of Metabolic Significance<strong></strong>

Tchuenmogne MAT, Ngouana TK, Gohlke S, et al. Compounds from &lt;em&gt;Terminalia mantaly&lt;/em&gt; L. (Combretaceae) Stem Bark Exhibit Potent Inhibition against some Pathogenic Yeasts and Enzymes of Metabolic Significance&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. Preprints. 2016.The chemical investigation of the anti-yeast methanol extract from the stem bark of Terminalia mantaly led to the isolation of seven compounds: 3-O-methyl-4-O-&amp;alpha;-rhamnopyranoside ellagic acid (1), 3-O-mehylellagic acid (2), arjungenin or 2,3,19,23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-o&amp;iuml;c acid (3), arjunglucoside or 2,3,19,23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-o&amp;iuml;c acid glucopyranoside (4), 2&amp;alpha;,3&amp;alpha;,24-trihydroxyolean-11,13(18)-dien-28-o&amp;iuml;c acid (5), stigmasterol (6), stigmasterol 3-O-&amp;beta;-D-glucopyranoside (7). Their structures were established by means of spectroscopic analysis and comparison with published data. Compounds 1-5 were tested in vitro for activity against three pathogenic yeast isolates, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei. The activity of compounds 1, 2 and 4 were comparable to that of the reference compound fluconazole (MIC values below 32 &amp;micro;g/ml) against the three tested yeast isolates. They were also tested for inhibitory properties against four enzymes of metabolic significance: Glucose-6-Phosphate Deshydrogenase (G6PD), human erythrocyte Carbonic anhydrase I and II (hCA I and hCA II), Glutathione S-transferase (GST). Compound 4 showed highly potent inhibitory property against the four tested enzymes with overall IC50 values below 4 &amp;micro;M and inhibitory constant (Ki) &amp;lt;3 &amp;micro;M.</jats:p

Plant-Derived Compounds against Microbial Infections and Cancers

Plants synthesize and preserve a variety of metabolites known as natural products. Many of them are easily extractable and can be used as starting material or chemical scaffolds for various purposes, especially in drug discovery. Numbers of reports have listed valuable candidates with privilege scaffolds currently in active development as drugs. New compounds with anticancer and antiinfective activities have been discovered recently, some presented these backbones. The present book chapter aims to highlight these findings from plants which can be considered valuable for the development of new drugs against malignant cells and infective diseases. Interest in anti-infective agents is increasing due to the resistance of microorganisms to existing drugs and newly emerging infectious diseases. This resistance is also, nowadays, associated to some forms of cancers. In addition, the value of plants as essential part in the health care pipeline in low- and middle-income countries is under consideration even though these countries are almost all surrounded by a rich and untapped biodiversity. People are always relying on “modern drugs and treatment” which is unfortunately not affordable to all. Therefore, the present compilation of data on plant-derived compounds can inspire the formulation of ameliorated traditional medicines (ATM) against the targeted diseases and the conservation of species

Endiandric Acid Derivatives and Other Constituents of Plants from the Genera Beilschmiedia and Endiandra (Lauraceae)

Plants of the Lauraceae family are widely used in traditional medicine and are sources of various classes of secondary metabolites. Two genera of this family, Beilschmiedia and Endiandra, have been the subject of numerous investigations over the past decades because of their application in traditional medicine. They are the only source of bioactive endiandric acid derivatives. Noteworthy is that their biosynthesis contains two consecutive non-enzymatic electrocyclic reactions. Several interesting biological activities for this specific class of secondary metabolites and other constituents of the two genera have been reported, including antimicrobial, enzymes inhibitory and cytotoxic properties. This review compiles information on the structures of the compounds described between January 1960 and March 2015, their biological activities and information on endiandric acid biosynthesis, with 104 references being cited