Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Evaluation of Biological Activities of Extracts and Chemical Constituents of Mimusops elengi

Faheem Amir¹ , Keng Chong Wong¹, Ibrahim Eldeen^2,3, Mohammad Zaini Asmawi², Hasnah Osman¹

¹School of Chemical Sciences; ²School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia; ³Faculty of Forestry, University of Khartoum, Shambat Complex, 13314, Sudan.

For correspondence:- Faheem Amir Email: faheem.a42@gmail.com

Received: 26 May 2012 Accepted: 8 June 2013 Published: 23 August 2013

Citation: Amir F, Wong KC, Eldeen I, Asmawi MZ, Osman H. Evaluation of Biological Activities of Extracts and Chemical Constituents of Mimusops elengi. Trop J Pharm Res 2013; 12(4):591-596 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v12i4.22

© 2013 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To isolate some compounds from the leaves and bark of Mimusops elengi, and examine them for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Experimental: The compounds were isolated from the leaf and bark chloroform extracts using column chromatography, and characterized using physical and spectroscopic methods. The isolated compounds and their respective extracts were tested for antibacterial activity by micro-dilution antibacterial assay, and for anti-inflammatory activity by cyclooxygenase inhibitory assay.

Results: of the compounds isolated include spinasterol (1), ursolic acid (2) and 3β, 6β, 19α, 23-tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (3) from the leaves; and taraxerol (4) and spinasterol β-D-glucopyranoside (5) from the bark. A majority of the samples showed good activity against Staphylococcus aureus (9.7 ^72; 78.0 μg/mL), while moderate activity was observed against Gram-negative bacteria (78.0 ^72; 156 μg/mL). Strong COX inhibition was observed for the leaf extract, and (1); selective COX-2 inhibition for (2) and (3); and selective COX-1 inhibition for bark extract, (4) and (5).

Conclusion: This is the first report describing the anti-inflammatory potential of M. elengi on the basis of its isolated constituents. The results of this study support the traditional use of the plant as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory remedy.

Keywords: Mimusops elengi, Sapotaceae, Steroids; Triterpenoids, Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory