title: The isolation of antiprotozoal compounds from Libyan propolis.
abstract: Propolis is increasingly being explored as a source of biologically active compounds. Until now, there has been no study of Libyan propolis. Two samples were collected in North East Libya and tested for their activity against Trypanosoma brucei. Extracts from both samples had quite high activity. One of the samples was fractionated and yielded a number of active fractions. Three of the active fractions contained single compounds, which were found to be 13-epitorulosal, acetyl-13-epi-cupressic acid and 13-epi-cupressic acid, which have been described before in Mediterranean propolis. Two of the compounds had a minimum inhibitory concentration value of 1.56 µg/mL against T. brucei. The active fractions were also tested against macrophages infected with Leishmania donovani, and again moderate to strong activity was observed with the compounds having IC50 values in the range 5.1-21.9 µg/mL.
authors.affiliation: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 27 Taylor Street, Glasgow, G4 0NR, UK.
authors.forename: Weam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Siheri
authors.forename: John O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Igoli
authors.forename: Alexander I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Ticiano G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Nasciemento
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fearnley
authors.forename: Carol J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Clements
authors.forename: Katharine C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carruthers
authors.forename: RuAngelie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Edrada-Ebel
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000187:drug effects; D008002:Libya; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011429:Propolis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: C000600381:13-epi-cupressic acid; C000600379:13-epitorulosal; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D004224:Diterpenes; C000600380:acetyl-13-epi-cupressic acid; D011429:Propolis
keywords: L. donovani; Libyan propolis; T. brucei; labdane diterpenes