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Planta Med 1999; 65(3): 209-212
DOI: 10.1055/s-1999-14083
Original Paper

Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

In Vitro Antisickling Activity of a Rearranged Limonoid Isolated from Khaya senegalensis

Ahmedou Bamba Fall1,2 , Renée Vanhaelen-Fastré1 , Maurice Vanhaelen1 , Issa Lo2 , Michèle Toppet3 , Alina Ferster3 , Pierre Fondu3
  • 1Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie et Bromatologie, Institut de Pharmacie de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles, U.L.B, Belg
  • 2Laboratoire de Pharmacie Galénique et Législation, Faculté de Médecine et Pharmacie de l'Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, U.C.A. D, Senegal
  • 3Unité d'Hémato-Oncologie, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola, HUDERF, Bruxelles, Belgium
Further Information

Publication History

June 12, 1998

November 8, 1998

Publication Date:
31 December 1999 (online)

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Abstract:

We previously observed that aqueous extracts of the stem bark and leaves of Khaya senegalensis exhibited a strong antisickling activity. These results prompted us to find out the constituent(s) responsible for these properties using an in vitro bio-guided fractionation. The bioassay was based on sickle cells countings, before and after deoxygenation, in blood samples taken from patients with severe sickle cell anemia and pre-incubated with the drugs to be tested. The main active constituent was identified as a rearranged limonoid whose structure was recently elucidated. In comparison with pentoxifylline used as standard, the in vitro antisickling activity of this limonoid was much higher at any concentrations and incubation conditions. In addition, it did not alter significantly the corpuscular indices.

Key words:

Khaya senegalensis - Meliaceae - rearranged limonoid - antisickling activity - corpuscular indices