Anti-leishmanial and Anti-cancer Activities of
a Pentacyclic Triterpenoid Isolated from the
Leaves of Terminalia arjuna Combretaceae
Biswas
Moulisha1*, Ghosh Ashok Kumar2,
Haldar Pallab Kanti3
1Bengal
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kalyani, Nadia-741
235, 2Bengal School of Technology, Delhi
Road, Sugandha, Dt. Hooghly, PIN: 712 102, 3Department
of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University,
Kolkata - 700 032, West Bengal, India.
*Corresponding author:
E-mail:
moulisha_biswas@yahoo.co.in Tel:
+91-33-25211273; 9831354803 (M); Fax:
+91-33-25891742
Received: 3 October 2009
Revised
accepted: 19 February 2010
Tropical
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, April 2010;
9(2):
135-140
Abstract
Purpose:
Terminalia arjuna Roxb (Combretaceae) is commonly known
as Arjjhan and Arjun in Bengal, India. The anti-leishmanial
and anticancer activities of a pentacyclic triterpenoid
isolated from its leaves were evaluated.
Methods:
Dried and crushed leaves of Terminalia arjuna were
de-fatted with petroleum ether (40 - 60 °C) and
extracted with methanol. The extract was subjected to
column chromatography and column fractions were
monitored on TLC plates developed in a suitable solvent
system. Structures of the isolated pure compounds were
elucidated by infra-red spectroscopy, mass spectrometry
and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. One of the
compounds was screened for anti-leishmanial activity
against promastigotes of Leishmania donovani, and
anti-cancer activity on K562 leukaemic cell line.
Results:
A pentacyclic triterpenoid, characterized as
3β-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (together with ß-D-glucoside)
and designated ursolic acid, was successfully isolated.
The structure was determined on the basis of
spectroscopic analyses. In vitro anti-leishmanial
activity against promastigotes of Leishmania donovani
(strain AG 83) and anti-cancer activity on K562
leukaemic cell line were shown by the isolated ursolic
acid.
Conclusion:
The methanol extract of the leaves of Terminalia arjuna
led to the isolation of a pentacyclic triterpenoid,
ursolic acid. This compound demonstrated in vitro anti-leishmanial
and anti-cancer activities
Keywords:
Terminalia arjuna Roxb, Pentacyclic triterpenoid,
Ursolic acid, Spectroscopy, Anti-leishmanial,
Anti-cancer.
