title: Antiplasmodial activities of some products from Turreanthus africanus (Meliaceae).
abstract: We investigated the antiplasmodial activity of some pure compounds of Turreanthus africanus (Meliaceae), a plant that is used in traditional medicine to treat malaria in Southwest Cameroon. A phytochemical analysis of the methylene chloride: methanol (1:1) extract of the seeds of the plant yielded seven compounds. Four of them, which were oils, were subjected to in vitro bioassays on Plasmodium falciparum F 32, chloroquine sensitive strain. Compound 1 (16-oxolabda-8 (17), 12(E)-dien-15-oic acid), showed the highest antiplasmodial activity, two others (methyl-14,15-epoxylabda-8 (17), 12(E)-diene-16-oate, and turreanin A), had moderate activity and one was inactive. These findings are consistent with the use of T. africanus in the traditional treatment of P. falciparum malaria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Moses N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ngemenya
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Akam
authors.forename: Joseph N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tane
authors.forename: Samuel N Y
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Fanso-Free
authors.forename: Klavs
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berzins
authors.forename: Vincent P P K
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Titanji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology; D002163:Cameroon; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D029582:Meliaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010938:Plant Oils; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D010938:Plant Oils