Ethnopharmacological survey, antioxidant and antifungal activity of medicinal plants traditionally used in Baham locality (Cameroon) to treat fungal infections

Invasive fungal infections are important causes of mortality despite advances in antifungal therapy. The aim of this study was collect information on plants used by traditional healers for the treatment of fungal infections in the Baham subdivision (Western region of Cameroon) and to assess the in vitro antifungal and antioxidant potentials of the extracts from the medicinal plants surveyed. The antifungal activity was assessed by the broth micro-dilution method and the antioxidant activity was determined using the free-radical scavenging assays. The extracts for the plants Kotschya strigosa and Eryngium foetidum had potent antifungal activity with minimum inhibitory concentration value of 32 μg/mL against Cryptococcus neoformans. Eugenia gilgii extract had the highest free radical scavenging capacity in 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (IC50 of 4.54μg/mL). There is a rich wealth of knowledge and usage of plants by traditional healers for the treatment of fungal infections and further studies should consider isolation of active compounds from the extracts in order to assess the potential for developing new, effective, safe and affordable phytomedicine for the treatment of fungal infections and other pharmacological applications.Keywords: Ethnomedicine; Fungal infections; Antifungal; Antioxidant; Extrac

Two xanthones and two rotameric (3⟶8) biflavonoids from the Cameroonian medicinal plant Allanblackia floribunda Oliv. (Guttiferae)

Two xanthones, 2-(3-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyldihydroallyl)-dihydro-6-deoxyisojacareubin (1) and dihydro-6-deoxyjacareubin (2), and two 3 ⟶ 8 rotameric biflavonoids, (2R,3S)-volkensiflavone-7-O-β-acetylglucopyranoside (3) and (2S,3S)-morelloflavone-7-O-β-acetylglucopyranoside (4), together with fifteen known compounds, were isolated from a dichloromethane/methanol (1:1, v/v) extract of the bark of the plant Allanblackia floribunda. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectroscopic techniques and those of the known ones were deduced by comparison with data reported in the literature. The isolated biflavonoids were obtained as mixtures of conformers exhibiting duplicate NMR signals in solution at 25 °C and their respective absolute configurations were assigned using circular dichroism spectroscopy. Selected isolated compounds were assessed for their antibacterial and antioxidant propertie

Mimonoside D: a new triterpenoid saponin from Sauvalle (Fabaceae).

A new triterpenoid saponin (Mimonoside D: 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-3β-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D- glucopyranoside ester (1)) was isolated from the aerial parts of Mimosa diplotricha Sauvalle together with nine known compounds: 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone (2), kaempferol (3), lupeol (4), betulinic acid (5), β-sitosterol (6), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), lutein (8), 5,2'-dihydroxy-7,4',5'-trimethoxyflavone (9) and vitexin (10). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic (1 D and 2 D nuclear magnetic resonance) and high-resolution mass spectrometric data as well as by comparison of their spectral data with those of related compounds. Compounds 2, 7 and 8 had already been isolated from M. diplotricha, while compounds 3, 4, 5 and 6 have been isolated from other Mimosa species. Compound 2 moderately inhibited Proteus mirabilis (MIC = 32 µg/mL), weakly inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC = 64 µg/mL) and very weakly inhibited Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 128 µg/mL) and Enterococus faecalis (MIC = 128 µg/mL)

Constituents of Desmodium salicifolium (Poir.) DC (Fabaceae) with antifungal activity

Phytochemical investigation of the roots of Desmodium salicifolium led to the isolation of two new compounds (Desmoflavanone A: 5,2',4'-trihydroxy-4'',4''-dimethyl-2H-dihydropyranoisoflavanone (1) and desmodioside A: (22R)-3β,22,23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-3-O-α- L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucuronopyranoside (2)) together with nine known secondary metabolites including kaikasaponin III (3), spinosin (4), isovitexin (5), β-sitosterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (6), neorautenol (7), kaempferol (8), oleanolic acid (9), betulinic acid (10), and lupeol (11). The structures of these compounds were elucidated mainly by extensive spectroscopic analysis, particularly 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and by comparison of their spectroscopic data with those of related compounds reported in the literature. The methanolic extract, EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions as well as some isolated compounds were assessed for their antifungal activities against two fungi using microdilution method. The methanolic extract displayed weak activity against Candida albicans (MIC = 512 µg/mL). The EtOAc fraction also exhibited weak inhibitory effect with MIC of 256 µg/mL against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Compound 3 showed moderate effect against Candida glabrata with MIC value of 16 µg/mL while 1 was inactive against both fungi

A novel ellagic acid derivative from desbordesia glaucescens

One novel ellagic acid derivative, desglauside (1), was isolated from the leaves of Desbordesia glaucescens together with three known compounds [3.,4.-di-Omethylellagic acid (2), oleanolic acid (3) and β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4)]. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and MS analysis, and by comparison with related published data. The crude extract, fractions and isolated compounds showed no activity against four yeast strains [Candida albicans (ATCC 9002), C. parapsilopsis (ATCC22019), C. Tropicalis (ATCC750), Cryptococcus neoformans (IP95026) and one isolate of Candida guilliermondii]