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Planta Med 2010; 76(16): 1840-1846
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1250046
Pharmacology
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Growth Inhibitory Activity of Extracted Material and Isolated Compounds from the Fruits of Kigelia pinnata

Catherine A. Higgins1 , Tanachat Bell2 , Zoica Delbederi2 , Stéphanie Feutren-Burton2 , Barry McClean2 , Colin O'Dowd2 , William Watters2 , Paul Armstrong2 , David Waugh1 , Hendrik van den Berg3
  • 1Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology (CCRCB), Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Ireland
  • 2Almac Sciences, Almac House, Craigavon, Ireland
  • 3Medicine and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Queens University Belfast, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, Ireland
Further Information

Publication History

received Dec. 11, 2009 revised April 14, 2010

accepted May 18, 2010

Publication Date:
17 June 2010 (online)

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Abstract

A study of the components of the fruits of Kigelia pinnata was undertaken to identify compounds with potential growth inhibitory activity against human melanoma cells, since extracts from the fruits of this plant have been described in traditional medicine to have application in the treatment of skin cancer and other skin ailments. A bioactivity-guided fractionation process yielded a number of crude fractions, which demonstrated cytotoxicity in vitro against human melanoma cells. Compounds isolated and identified included the isocoumarins, demethylkigelin (1) and kigelin (2), fatty acids, oleic (3) and heneicosanoic acids (4), the furonaphthoquinone, 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4,9-dione (5), and ferulic acid (6). A number of structurally related synthetic compounds were also tested using the MTT assay. The most potent series of these compounds, the furonaphthoquinones, also demonstrated a cytotoxic effect in two human breast cancer cell lines tested.

Key words

Kigelia pinnata - Bignoniaceae - MTT assay - melanoma - isocoumarins - furonaphthoquinones

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Dr. Catherine Higgins

Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology (CCRCB)
Queens University Belfast

97 Lisburn Rd.

Belfast BT9 7BL

Ireland

Phone: + 44 28 90 97 27 79

Fax: + 44 28 90 97 27 76

Email: c.a.higgins@qub.ac.uk

    www.thieme-connect.de/ejournals/toc/plantamedica