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Saponin from Massularia acuminata Inhibits the Growths of Some Microbial and Human Cancerous Cells in vitro

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Abstract

Purpose

Massularia acuminata leaf is known to be used as a remedy for oral thrush and tumour in the Nigerian ethnomedicine. The study was carried out to isolate and identify the putative antimicrobial and cytotoxic compound(s) in the plant.

Methods

The leaf ethanolic extract was partitioned into n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous fractions. The ethyl acetate fraction was purified on a repeated column chromatography, using silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 as stationary phase, monitored by TLC-bioautography. The molecular structure of the isolated compound was established by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, and by comparison of its spectra data with literature reports. The extract and isolated compounds were tested and evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities, using agar dilution and methanethiosulfonate (MTS) cancer cell viability assay methods respectively.

Results

The isolation process afforded a saponin, characterized as 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-oleanolic acid, and newly described as “massularin”. The compound inhibited the growth of Candida albicans and Escherichia. coli at MIC values of 0.125 and 0.25 mg/mL respectively. It also inhibited the proliferation of human PC3 (prostate), HeLa (cervical), and Hs587t (breast) cancer cell lines at CC50 values of 17.0 ± 0.5, 19.5 ± 0.5 and 20.0 ± 0.5 µg/mL respectively.

Conclusion

The leaf extract of M. acuminata afforded a new saponin, characterized as an oleanolic acid glycoside. The compound selectively inhibited the growths of some pathogenic microbes and human cancer cells in vitro. Thus, these findings may serve as a justification for the folkloric use of the plant against oral thrush and tumour.

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Acknowledgements

The corresponding author thanks the Drug Research and Production Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University for study leave permission to utilise a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa.

Funding

There was no funding for this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, 5117, Mthatha, South Africa

    Ayodeji O. Oriola & Adebola O. Oyedeji

  2. Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

    Adetunji J. Aladesanmi

  3. Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    Thomas O. Idowu

  4. Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    Ezekiel O. Akinkunmi

  5. Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Winnipeg, Canada

    Makanjuola O. Ogunsina & Frank Schweizer

  6. Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, R3E 0J9, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Gilbert Arthur

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  1. Ayodeji O. Oriola
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  2. Adetunji J. Aladesanmi
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  3. Thomas O. Idowu
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Correspondence to Ayodeji O. Oriola.

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Oriola, A.O., Aladesanmi, A.J., Idowu, T.O. et al. Saponin from Massularia acuminata Inhibits the Growths of Some Microbial and Human Cancerous Cells in vitro. Chemistry Africa 5, 1959–1966 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-022-00488-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42250-022-00488-0

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