Cytotoxic and Antileishmanial Components from the Bark Extract of Ruyschiaphylladenia from Monteverde, Costa Rica

Abstract

The bark of Ruyschiaphylladenia was collected from Monteverde, Costa Rica, and extracted with acetone. Bioactivity-directed chromatographic separation of the crude acetone bark extract of R. phylladenia led to isolation and identification of lupeol, betulinic acid, and isofraxidin. Lupeol and betulinic acid showed in-vitro cytotoxic activity to MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and 5637 human tumor cell lines. Isofraxidin was not cytotoxic, but did show antileishmanial activity to Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes.