Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

In vitro Anti-Leishmanial and Anti-Tumour Activities of a Pentacyclic Triterpenoid Compound Isolated from the Fruits of Dregea volubilis Benth Asclepiadaceae

Biswas Moulisha¹ , Mandal Nirup Bikash², Palit Partha², Ghosh Ashoke Kumar³, Bannerjee Sukdeb², Haldar Pallab. Kanti⁴

¹Bengal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kalyani, Nadia-741 235; ²Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Department of Steroids and Terpenoids Chemistry, Jadavpur-700 032; ³Bengal School of Technology, Delhi Road, Sugandha, Dt. Hooghly, PIN: 712 102; ⁴Division of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata - 700 032, West Bengal, India..

For correspondence:- Biswas Moulisha Email: moulisha_biswas@yahoo.co.in Tel:+913325211273

Received: 16 September 2008 Accepted: 5 January 2008 Published: 17 April 2009

Citation: Moulisha B, Bikash MN, Partha P, Kumar GA, Sukdeb B, Kanti HP. In vitro Anti-Leishmanial and Anti-Tumour Activities of a Pentacyclic Triterpenoid Compound Isolated from the Fruits of Dregea volubilis Benth Asclepiadaceae. Trop J Pharm Res 2009; 8(2):127-131 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v8i2.5

© 2009 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: Dregea volubilis Benth, commonly known as Jukti in Bengal, is used in the treatment of boils and abscesses from ancient times. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the active compounds and as well as their anti-leishmanial and anti-tumour activities.

Methods: Dried and crushed fruits of Dregea volubilis were extracted by petroleum ether (40 - 60°C); the best solvent system had first been verified by analytical Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). The extract was subjected to TLC and column chromatography (CC) to isolate the pure compounds. Spectra data were obtained by Infra Red pectroscopy, Mass Spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance - Proton Magnetic Resonance (PMR), Carbon Magnetic Resonance (CMR) and Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer (DEPT) - for structure elucidation of the isolated compound(s). One of the compounds isolated was screened for anti-leishmanial activity against promastigotes of Leishmania donovani and anti-tumour activity on K562 leukemic cell line.

Results: A pentacyclic triterpenoid compound was isolated and designated as taraxerone, and then characterized as d-friedoolean-14-en, 3 one together with ß-sitosterol and a long chain lipid fraction.. This compound showed in vitro anti-leishmanial activity against promastigotes of Leishmania donovani (strain AG 83) and anti-tumour activity on K562 leukemic cell line.

Conclusion: A pentacyclic triterpenoid compound designated as taraxerone and characterized as D-friedoolean-14-en, 3 one together was successfully isolated. The structure was determined on the basis of spectral analysis (IR, MASS, NMR (PMR, CMR and DEPT) and the compound demonstrated in vitro anti-leishmanial and anti-tumour activities.

Keywords: Dregea volubilis, Pentacyclic triterpenoid, Taraxerone, Spectroscopy (IR, MASS, CMR, PMR, DEPT), Anti-leishmanial, Anti-tumour