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In vitro antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of crude extracts and compounds from the stem bark of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth (Bignoniaceae)

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Abstract

In order to assess the potential of the stem bark of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth as source of new anti-malarial leads, n-hexane and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts and four compounds isolated from the stem bark were screened in vitro against the chloroquine-resistant W-2 and two field isolates of Plasmodium falciparum using lactate dehydrogenase assay. The products were also tested for their cytotoxicity on LLC/MK2 monkey kidney cells. The EtOAc extract exhibited a significant antiplasmodial activity (IC50 = 11.15 μg/mL on W-2; 3.91 and 4.74 μg/mL on field CAM10 and SHF4 isolates, respectively), whereas the n-hexane fraction showed a weak activity (IC50 = 73.78 μg/mL on W-2 and 21.85 μg/mL on SHF4). Three out of the four compounds showed good activity against all the three different parasite strains (IC50 < 5 μM). Specicoside exhibited the highest activity on W-2 (IC50 = 1.54 μM) followed by 2β, 3β, 19α-trihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (IC50 = 1.60 μM) and atranorin (IC50 = 4.41 μM), while p-hydroxycinnamic acid was the least active (IC50 = 53.84 μM). The EtOAc extract and its isolated compounds (specicoside and p-hydroxycinnamic acid) were non-cytotoxic (CC50 > 30 μg/mL), whereas the n-hexane extract and two of its products, atranorin and 2β, 3β, 19α-trihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid showed cytotoxicity at high concentrations, with the last one being the most toxic (CC50 = 9.37 μg/mL). These findings justify the use of K. africana stem bark as antimalaria by traditional healers of Western Cameroon, and could constitute a good basis for further studies towards development of new leads or natural drugs for malaria.

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Acknowledgements

This work received financial support in the form of research grants awarded to Professor Vincent P.K. Titanji by the International Programme in the Chemical Sciences (IPICS, CAM:01) and Microsoft Corporation, and a research grant from the International Foundation for Science (IFS) awarded to Dr. Mathieu Tene (RGA No. F/4238-1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biotechnology Unit, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63 Buea, South West Region, Cameroon

    Denis Zofou, Moses N. Ngemenya & Vincent P. K. Titanji

  2. Laboratory of Natural Products Chemistry, University of Dschang, West Region, Cameroon

    Archile Bernabe Ouambo Kengne, Mathieu Tene & Pierre Tane

Authors
  1. Denis Zofou
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  2. Archile Bernabe Ouambo Kengne
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  3. Mathieu Tene
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  4. Moses N. Ngemenya
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  5. Pierre Tane
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  6. Vincent P. K. Titanji
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Correspondence to Vincent P. K. Titanji.

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Zofou, D., Kengne, A.B.O., Tene, M. et al. In vitro antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of crude extracts and compounds from the stem bark of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth (Bignoniaceae). Parasitol Res 108, 1383–1390 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2363-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2363-y

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