Validation of use of a traditional antimalarial remedy from French Guiana, Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam.
Zanthoxylum rhoifolium bark (Rutaceae) is a medicinal plant, traditionally used in French Guiana to treat and prevent malaria. Bioassay-guided extractions of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium bark have shown that antiplasmodial activity is concentrated in the alkaloid fraction. Further fractionation of this extract has yielded seven benzophenanthridine alkaloids, dihydroavicine 1, dihydronitidine 2, oxyavicine 3, oxynitidine 4, fagaridine 5, avicine 6 and nitidine 7. Antimalarial activity of the last five compounds has been evaluated, and nitidine was the most potent, displaying an IC(50)<0.27microM against Plasmodium falciparum. Investigation of the traditional remedy, a trunk bark decoction in water, has shown that fagaridine 5, avicine 6 and nitidine 7 are also present in the decoction, therefore justifying the traditional use of Zanthoxylumrhoifolium bark as antimalarial.
Jullian
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Laboratoire de Pharmacochimie des Substances Naturelles et Pharmacophores Redox, UMR-152 IRD - Université Paul Sabatier, Centre IRD de Cayenne, BP 165, 97323 Cayenne, Guyane, France.
Bourdy
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Georges
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Maurel
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Sauvain
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M
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005616:French Guiana; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D032106:Zanthoxylum
D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts