title: Antiplasmodial activity of atisinium chloride from the Bhutanese medicinal plant, Aconitum orochryseum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The plant Aconitum orochryseum Stapf. (Ranunculaceae) is employed together with other plants in Bhutanese traditional medicine and is indicated for malaria-associated fever.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the in vitro antiplasmodial activity of atisinium chloride, the major alkaloid from Aconitum orochryseum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Atisinium chloride was extracted and purified from aerial parts of Aconitum orochryseum and its structure and absolute configuration confirmed by single crystal X-ray crystallography. The crude methanol extract, crude alkaloid fraction, and atisinium chloride were tested for in vitro antiplasmodial activity against the malarial Plasmodium falciparum strains TM4/8.2 (TM4; wild type) and K1CB1 (K1; chloroquine and antifolate resistant).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diterpenoid alkaloid atisinium chloride was shown to have moderate antiplasmodial activities with IC(50) values of 4 microM and 3.6 microM, respectively against the TM4 strain and the K1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our studies provide the first evidence in support of one of the indicated treatments with Aconitum orochryseum in Bhutanese traditional medicine. This alkaloid also represents a potential new antimalarial structural lead.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Phurpa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wangchuk
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bremner
authors.lastname: Samten
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Skelton
authors.forename: Allan H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Roonglawan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rattanajak
authors.forename: Sumalee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamchonwongpaisan
mesh_terms: D031841:Aconitum / Q000737:chemistry*; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001631:Bhutan; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000962:Antimalarials; D004224:Diterpenes; D010936:Plant Extracts; C509541:atisinium chloride