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Phytochemical study of Piliostigma thonningii, a medicinal plant grown in Nigeria

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Abstract

Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redhead. (Leguminosae) is used for various medicinal purposes in African countries. Phytochemical investigation of P. thonningii yielded two compounds newly isolated from natural sources, 2β-methoxyclovan-9α-ol (1), and methyl-ent-3β-hydroxylabd-8(17)-en-15-oate (2), along with 14 known compounds (3–16). Compounds 1 and 4 (alepterolic acid) showed potential selectivity towards Trypanosoma brucei brucei with IC50 7.89 and 3.42 μM, respectively. Compound 2 showed activity towards T. brucei and Leishmania donovani Amastigote with IC50 3.84 and 7.82 μM, respectively. The structure activity relationship (SAR) of the isolated metabolites suggested that hydroxylation at C-2 enhances the antiprotozoal activity towards T. brucei in sesquiterpenes 1 and 3. Similarly hydroxylation at C-3 in labdane diterpenes elevates the antiprotozoal activity towards T. brucei.

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Acknowledgements

The project was supported by Sheda Science and Technology Complex, Nigeria and National Center for Natural Product Research, University of Mississippi, USA. We acknowledge Award Number P20GM104932 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences for bioassay results. The authors wish to thank Dr. Charles L. Cantrell and Amber C. Reichley, USDA-ARS-NPURU for HR MS results.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA

    Michael Afolayan, Radhakrishnan Srivedavyasasri, Fazila Zulfiqar, Mohamed A. Ibrahim & Samir A Ross

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

    Michael Afolayan, Olayinka T. Asekun & Oluwole B. Familoni

  3. Chemistry Advanced Research Center, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, PMB 186, Garki Abuja, Nigeria

    Michael Afolayan & Abayomi Orishadipe

  4. Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, National Research Centre, 12622, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

    Mohamed A. Ibrahim

  5. Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA

    Samir A Ross

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  1. Michael Afolayan
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  2. Radhakrishnan Srivedavyasasri
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  3. Olayinka T. Asekun
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  6. Fazila Zulfiqar
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Correspondence to Samir A Ross.

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Afolayan, M., Srivedavyasasri, R., Asekun, O.T. et al. Phytochemical study of Piliostigma thonningii, a medicinal plant grown in Nigeria. Med Chem Res 27, 2325–2330 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00044-018-2238-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00044-018-2238-1

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