title: Terpenoidal constituents of Eucalyptus loxophleba ssp. lissophloia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Eucalyptus has been a source of a number of biologically active compounds. The anti-leishmanial activity of terpenoids from Eucalyptus loxophleba (Benth.) ssp. lissophloia (Myrtaceae) has not yet been investigated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Isolation of the terpenoidal constituents for evaluation of in vitro anti-leishmanial activity against the Leishmania donovani (Dd8 strain) promastigotes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chloroform-methanol (8:2) extract of dried leaves of Eucalyptus loxophleba was used to isolate terpenoidal constituents employing solvent partitioning, column chromatography and preparative high performance liquid chromatography and characterized from spectral data. The anti-leishmanial activity of the isolated compounds was tested in vitro using an Alamar blue assay against a culture of L. donovani (Dd8 strain) promastigotes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two new naturally occurring triterpenes, named loxanic acid and 3-acetyl loxanic acid together with four known ursane triterpenoids and one bis-monoterpene glycoside, cuniloside B isolated from the leaves showed anti-leishmanial activity (IC(50) 133 to 235 μM) against the promastigotes of the tested strain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The terpenes isolated from the leaves of E. loxophleba showed moderate anti-leishmanial activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector 67, SAS Nagar, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Jasmeen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sidana
authors.forename: Sukhvinder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sunil Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Inder Pal
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D005052:Eucalyptus; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014315:Triterpenes