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Planta Med 2017; 83(01/02): 104-110
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-110407
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Cytotoxic, Anti-inflammatory, and Leishmanicidal Activities of Diterpenes Isolated from the Roots of Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Osayemwenre Erharuyi
1   Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
2   H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
,
Achyut Adhikari
2   H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
,
Abiodun Falodun
1   Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
,
Almas Jabeen
3   Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
,
Rehan Imad
3   Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
,
Muhammad Ammad
3   Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
,
M. Iqbal Choudhary
2   H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
4   Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
,
Nezhun Gören
5   Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science and Arts, Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 24 March 2016
revised 29 May 2016

accepted 07 June 2016

Publication Date:
24 June 2016 (online)

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Abstract

A phytochemical investigation on the chloroform extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima roots led to the isolation of ten known furanocassane diterpenoids, vouacapen-5α-ol (1), 8,9,11,14-didehydrovouacapen-5α-ol (2), 6β-cinnamoyl-7β-hydroxyvouacapen-5α-ol (3), pulcherrin A (4), pulcherrin B (5), pulcherrin J (6), pulcherrimin A (7), pulcherrimin B (8), pulcherrimin C (9), and pulcherrimin E (10). Chemical transformation of 3 and 7 gave compounds 6β-hydroxyisovouacapenol C (11), 6β-cinnamoyl-7β-acetoxyvouacapen-5α-ol (12), and pulcherrimin D (13). Cytotoxicity of compounds 1-13 was evaluated against three cancer cell lines (MCF-7, HeLa, and PC-3). Anti-inflammatory potential of the compounds was evaluated via the oxidative burst assay using a luminol-amplified chemiluminescence technique. Leishmanicidal activity was tested against promastigotes of Leishmania major in vitro. Compounds 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10 were found active against all three cancer cell lines with IC50s ranging from 7.02 ± 0.31 to 36.49 ± 1.39 µM. Compounds 8 and 13 exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on reactive oxygen species generated from human whole blood phagocytes (IC50 = 15.30 ± 1.10 µM and 8.00 ± 0.80 µM, respectively). Compounds 3, 9, and 13 showed significant activity against promastigotes of L. major (IC50 = 65.30 ± 3.20, 58.70 ± 2.80, and 55.90 ± 2.40 µM, respectively).

Key words

Caesalpinia pulcherrima - Caesalpiniaceae - cassane diterpenoids - cytotoxicity - cancer cells - leishmanicidal activity - anti-inflammatory activity

Supporting Information

 

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