Abstract
The dichloromethane-methanol (1/1) extract of the stem bark of Turraeanthus africanus (Meliaceae) showed remarkable antimicrobial activity against Cryptococcus neoformans, Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus . Phytochemical investigation of this extract afforded six new diterpenoid derivatives, (+)-16-acetoxy-12,15-epoxylabda-8(17),12,14-triene (3 ), [16(E ),12S ,15R ]-16-acetoxy-12,15-epoxy-15-isopropoxy-ent -labda-8(17),13(16)-diene (turraeanin A, 4 ), [16(E ),12R ,15S ]-16-acetoxy-12,15-epoxy-15-isopropoxy-ent -labda-8(17),13(16)-diene (turraeanin B, 5 ), [16(E ),12S ,15R ]-16-acetoxy-12,15-epoxy-15-methoxy-ent -labda-8(17),13(16)-diene (turraeanin C, 6 ), [16(E ),12R ,15S ]-16-acetoxy-12,15-epoxy-15-methoxy-ent -labda-8(17),13(16)-diene (turraeanin D, 7 ) and (12S ,13S ,15R )-12,15-epoxy-15-methoxy-ent -labd-8(17)-en-16-al (turraeanin E, 9 ) together with the known compounds, 15,16-epoxy-ent -labda-8(17),13(16),14-triene (1 ), (+)-pumiloxide (2 ), ent -labda-8(17),12 (E )-diene-15,16-dial (8 ) and 16-acetoxy-12(R ),15-epoxy-15β-hydroxylabda-8(17),13 (16)-diene (10 ). Compound 10 was obtained as its acetoxy derivative (10a ) and compound 11 was the product of hydrolysis of 6 . Antimicrobial activity of the isolates was assayed and compounds 8 , 9 , 10a and 11 exhibited significant activities.
Key words
Turraeanthus africanus
- Meliaceae - antimicrobial activity - diterpenes - labdanes - turraeanin
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Prof. Tane Pierre
Department of Chemistry
University of Dschang
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Dschang
Cameroon
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