Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3399924
Phytochemical and biological investigations on potentially antimicrobial and anticancer Guinean plant species
Publication History
Publication Date:
20 December 2019 (online)
Cancer and microbial infections are global public health problems, and therapeutic management remains a challenge, especially in developing countries. In Guinea, medicinal plants are still widely used for the management of these diseases. The purpose of this study was to deepen the phytochemical knowledge and investigate the therapeutical potential of selected plants, through the purification of secondary metabolites, and the evaluation of their antimicrobial and anticancer activity.
Twelve medicinal plants selected following an ethnobotanical survey carried out in Guinea, were subjected to a preliminary biological screening. Promising activities against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Plasmodium falciparum were obtained for extracts from T. albida, Landolphia heudelotii, Swartzia madagascariensis, Tetracera sp. and Hannoa sp. (IC50 ≤ 10 μg/ml). Combretum paniculatum and Pavetta crassipes were the most cytotoxic (CC50 ≤ 10µg/ml). Based on these results, Terminalia albida was selected as one of the most promising plants and was subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation. All extracts and fractions were evaluated for their antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and cytotoxic activities. Liquid chromatography (Flash chromatography and/or semi-preparative HPLC-DAD-MS) and NMR spectroscopy were used for isolation of compounds and their identification.
The bioguided fractionation of T. albida root led to the isolation of 13 compounds, among which sericoside, arjunglucopyranoside, seric acid, 3-hydroxy-4, 4-dimethyldihydro- (2-13C)-furan-2-one, 28-O-β-glucopyranosyl-arjunic Acid, 3,4,3ʹ-tri-O-methoxy-ellagic-acid and 2α,3β,21β,23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28 oic acid.
These results may validate at least in part the traditional use of the selected plant species. Further research, aiming for the purification and bioactivity assessment of additional compounds from T. albida and other promising plant extracts is ongoing.