Constituents from ripe figs of Ficus vallis-choudae Delile (Moraceae) with antiplasmodial activity

Hardo Suzy Donfack Chouna; Darline Dize; Donald Ulrich Kenou Kagho; Jean Jules Kezetas Bankeu; Yannick Stéphane Fotsing Fongang; Mariscal Brice Tchatat Tali; Beaudelaire Kemvoufo Ponou; Gabin Thierry Mbahbou Bitchagno; Angelbert Fusi Awantu; Léon Azefack Tapondjou; Bruno Ndjakou Lenta; Fabrice Boyom Fekam; Norbert Sewald; Silvère Augustin Ngouela

doi:10.1007/s00436-022-07540-5

Constituents from ripe figs of Ficus vallis-choudae Delile (Moraceae) with antiplasmodial activity

Parasitol Res. 2022 Jul;121(7):2121-2127. doi: 10.1007/s00436-022-07540-5. Epub 2022 May 17.

Authors

Hardo Suzy Donfack Chouna^{1

2}, Darline Dize³, Donald Ulrich Kenou Kagho², Jean Jules Kezetas Bankeu⁴, Yannick Stéphane Fotsing Fongang⁵, Mariscal Brice Tchatat Tali³, Beaudelaire Kemvoufo Ponou⁶, Gabin Thierry Mbahbou Bitchagno¹, Angelbert Fusi Awantu⁴, Léon Azefack Tapondjou¹, Bruno Ndjakou Lenta⁷, Fabrice Boyom Fekam³, Norbert Sewald⁸, Silvère Augustin Ngouela^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon.
² Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
³ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box: 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, P.O. Box 39, Bambili, Cameroon.
⁵ Department of Chemistry, Higher Teachers Training College, University of Maroua, P.O. Box 55, Maroua, Cameroon.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. beaudelaireponou@yahoo.fr.
⁷ Department of Chemistry, Higher Teachers Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon. lentabruno@yahoo.fr.
⁸ Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, P.O. Box 100131, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.

Abstract

Ripe figs, barks, and wood of Ficus vallis-choudae are used in traditional medicine against several conditions including nausea and malaria. However, its use is still to be scientifically documented and validated. Hence, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the antiplasmodial activity of the dichloromethane-methanol (DCM-MeOH (1:1)) crude extract, their hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanoli fractions, as well as the isolated chemical constituents. The chemical study of the DCM-MeOH (1:1) crude extract of F. vallis-choudae figs led to the isolation of fifteen (15) known compounds identified based on their spectroscopic data [one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry] and by comparison of these data with those reported in the literature. Some of the isolated compounds were assessed in vitro for their antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 (Pf3D7) and multidrug-resistant Dd2 strains. The dichloromethane fraction exhibited very good antiplasmodial activity against both strains with IC₅₀ values of 13.86 μg/mL and 8.18 μg/mL, respectively. Among the tested compounds, wighteone (2) was the most active against P. falciparum 3D7 (IC₅₀ = 24.6 ± 1.5 μM) and Dd2 (IC₅₀ = 11.9 ± 2.4 μM) strains. The obtained results could justify the traditional uses of F. vallis-choudae against malaria. Wighteone appears to be the most active ingredient. However, further consideration of this compound as starting point for antimalarial drug discovery will depend upon its selectivity of action towards Plasmodium parasites. HIGHLIGHTS: • 15 (fifteen) compounds were isolated from the dichloromethane-methanol extract of Ficus vallis-choudae. • Their structures were determined on the basis of their spectroscopic data. • The dichloromethane fraction showed promising activities on the Pf3D7 and PfDd2 strains with IC₅₀ values of 13.86 and 8.18 µg/mL, respectively. • Wighteone was the most active compound against PfDd2 (IC₅₀ = 11.9 ± 2.4 μM).

Keywords: Antiplasmodial activity; Chemical constituents; Ficus vallis-choudae; Moraceae; Plasmodium falciparum; Wighteone.

MeSH terms

Antimalarials* / chemistry
Antimalarials* / pharmacology
Ficus*
Malaria* / drug therapy
Malaria* / parasitology
Malaria, Falciparum* / drug therapy
Methanol / therapeutic use
Methylene Chloride / therapeutic use
Plant Extracts / chemistry
Plasmodium falciparum

Substances

Antimalarials
Plant Extracts
Methylene Chloride
Methanol

Grants and funding

YaBiNaPA project no. 57316173/Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst