Bioassay-guided isolation of a sesquiterpene lactone of deoxyelephantopin from Elephantopus scaber Linn. active on Trypanosome brucei rhodesience

Phytomedicine. 2014 Feb 15;21(3):282-5. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2013.09.011. Epub 2013 Oct 23.

Abstract

Methanolic extracts of 70 Malaysia plants were screened for their in vitro antitrypanosomal activity using Trypanosome brucei rhodesience, strain STIB 900 and mouse skeletal cell (L-6) in cytotoxicity activity assay. Results indicated that methanol extract from Elephantopus scaber Linn. (E. scaber) possessed the highest value of antitrypanosomal activity with good selectivity index (antitrypanosomal IC50 of 0.22±0.02 μg/ml, SI value of 204.55). Based on these results, E. scaber was chosen for further study by applying bioassay guided fractionation to isolate its antiprotozoal principle. The antiprotozoal principle was isolated from the ethyl acetate partition through solvent fractionation and crystallization process. The isolated active compound 1 was identified as deoxyelephantopin on the basis of its spectral analysis (FTIR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR).

Keywords: Bioassay-guided isolation ;; Deoxyelephantopin; Elephantopus scaber; Trypanosome brucei rhodesience; Trypanosomiasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asteraceae / chemistry*
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Lactones / analysis
  • Lactones / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Sesquiterpenes / analysis
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Trypanocidal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense / drug effects*
  • Trypanosomiasis, African / parasitology*

Substances

  • Lactones
  • Plant Extracts
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Trypanocidal Agents
  • deoxyelephantopin