title: Nauclea latifolia: biological activity and alkaloid phytochemistry of a West African tree.
abstract: Covering up to 2016Nauclea latifolia (syn. Sarcocephalus latifolius, Rubiaceae), commonly called the African pincushion tree, is a plant widely used in folk medicine in different regions of Africa for treating a variety of illnesses, including malaria, epilepsy and pain. N. latifolia has not only drawn the interest of traditional healers but also of phytochemists, who have identified a range of bioactive indole alkaloids in its tissue. More recently, following up on the traditional use of extracts in pain management, a bio-guided purification from the roots of the tree led to the identification of the active ingredient as tramadol, available as a synthetic analgesic since the 1970s. The discovery of this compound as a natural phytochemical was highlighted worldwide. This review focuses on the correlation between extracted compounds and pharmacological activities, paying special attention to infectious diseases and neurologically-related disorders. A critical analysis of the data reported so far on the natural origin of tramadol and its proposed biosynthesis is also presented.
authors.affiliation: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, DPM UMR 5063, F-38041 Grenoble, France. Ahcene.Boumendjel@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boucherle
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haudecoeur
authors.forename: Emerson Ferreira
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Waard
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wolfender
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Robins
authors.forename: Ahcène
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boumendjel
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D026121:Indole Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D015394:Molecular Structure; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D019666:Rubiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D014147:Tramadol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014197:Trees / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D014147:Tramadol