title: Furoquinoline Alkaloids and Methoxyflavones from the Stem Bark of Melicope madagascariensis (Baker) T.G. Hartley.
abstract: Melicope madagascariensis (Rutaceae) is an endemic plant species of Madagascar that was first classified as a member of the genus Euodia J. R. & G. Forst (Rutaceae) under the scientific name Euodia madagascariensis Baker. Based on morphological characteristics, Thomas Gordon Hartley taxonomically revised E. madagascariensis Baker to be M. madagascariensis (Baker) T.G. Hartley. Chemotaxonomical studies have long been used to help the identification and confirmation of taxonomical classification of plant species and botanicals. Aiming to find more evidences to support the taxonomical revision performed on E. madagascariensis, we carried out phytochemical investigation of two samples of the plant. Fractionation of the ethanol extracts prepared from two stem bark samples of M. madagascariensis (Baker) T.G. Hartley led to the isolation of seven known furoquinoline alkaloids 1-7 and two known methoxyflavones 8 and 9. The presence of furoquinoline alkaloids and methoxyflavones in the title species is in agreement with its taxonomic transfer from Euodia to Melicope. Antiprotozoal evaluation of the isolated compounds showed that 6-methoxy-7-hydroxydictamnine (heliparvifoline, 3) showed weak antimalarial activity (IC50= 35 µM) against the chloroquine-resistant strain Dd2 of Plasmodium falciparum. Skimmianine (4) displayed moderate cytotoxicity with IC50value of 1.5 µM against HT-29 colon cancer cell line whereas 3,5-dihydroxy-3',4',7-trimethoxyflavone (9) was weakly active in the same assay (IC50= 13.9 µM).
authors.affiliation: Centre National d'Application de Recherches Pharmaceutiques, B.P. 702, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Vincent E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Rasamison
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, M/C 0212, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Peggy J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Brodie
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and the Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, M/C 0308, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Emilio F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and the Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, M/C 0308, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors.forename: Maria B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Cassera
authors.affiliation: Centre National d'Application de Recherches Pharmaceutiques, B.P. 702, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Michel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ratsimbason
authors.affiliation: Centre National d'Application de Recherches Pharmaceutiques, B.P. 702, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rakotonandrasana
authors.affiliation: Centre National d'Application de Recherches Pharmaceutiques, B.P. 702, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Andriamalala
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rakotondrafara
authors.affiliation: Institut Supérieur de Technologie, B.P. 8122, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Elie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rafidinarivo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and the Virginia Tech Center for Drug Discovery, M/C 0212, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
authors.forename: David G I
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kingston
authors.affiliation: Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA. rakotondraibe.1@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Harinantenaina L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Rakotondraibe
keywords: Antimalarial activity; Chemotaxonomy; Cytotoxicity; Furoquinoline alkaloids; Melicope madagascariensis (Rutaceae); Methoxyflavones