Methanolic extracts of Aloe secundiflora Engl. inhibits in vitro growth of tuberculosis and diarrhea-causing bacteria.

Background: The emergence of resistance to antimicrobials by pathogens has reached crisis levels, calling for identification of alternative means to combat diseases.

Objective: To determine antimicrobial activity of crude methanolic extract of Aloe secundiflora Engl. from Lake Victoria region of Kenya.

Bioactive isoflavones from Dalbergia vacciniifolia (Fabaceae).

Three new 5-dehydroxy isoflavone compounds, 6,2'-dimethoxy-7,4'-dihydroxyisoflavone (1), 6,2',4'-trimethoxy-7-hydroxyisoflavone (2), and 6,2',4',5'-tetramethoxy-7-O-[beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside] isoflavone (3), along with a known isoflavone, 6,2',4',5'-tetramethoxy-7-hydroxyisoflavone (4), were isolated from the ethanolic extract of Dalbergia vacciniifolia Vatke. Their structures were established by spectroscopic techniques including one- and two-dimension NMR. Compound 1 showed mild cytotoxic activity against brine shrimp larvae with a LC50 value of 266 microg/mL.

A bioactive isoprenylated xanthone and other constituents of Garcinia edulis.

Phytochemical investigation on the root bark of Garcinia edulis (Clusiaceae) gave a new isoprenylated xanthone, 1,4,6-trihydroxy-3-methoxy-2-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-5-(1,1-dimethyl-prop-2-enyl)xanthone (1), a known xanthone, forbexanthone (2) together with three known pentacyclic triterpenoids, friedelin, lupeol and lupeol acetate. The structure of the new compound was fully characterised by NMR spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 showed significant anti-HIV-1 protease activity with IC(50) value of 11.

Bioactive natural products derived from the East African flora.

This review describes bioactive natural products isolated from East African medicinal plants. It includes 211 bioactive compounds from 41 plant species, and cites 116 references.

New furanoditerpenoids from Croton jatrophoides.

Four furanoditerpenoids were isolated from roots of Croton jatrophoides (Euphorbiaceae) collected in Tanzania. In addition to the known compounds penduliflaworosin and teucvin (mallotucin A), a new teucvin isomer, which was named isoteucvin, and a furanoditerpenoid with a new skeleton, for which the name jatrophoidin was adopted, were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods such as ESI-MS and NMR, including (1)H-, (13)C-, and two-dimensional NMR.

A novel antiplasmodial 3',5'-diformylchalcone and other constituents of Friesodielsia obovata.

Phytochemical investigation of the stem and root barks of Friesodielsia obovata Benth (Annonaceae) afforded new 3',5'-diformyl-2',4',6'-trihydroxychalcone and N-formyl-7-hydroxyglaucine together with five known compounds, 3',5'-dimethyl-2',4',6'-trihydroxychalcone, (-)-crotepoxide, demethoxymatteucinol, lawinal, and benzyl benzoate. 3',5'-diformyl-2',4',6'-trihydroxychalcone indicated significant antiplasmodial, cytotoxicity, and larvicidal activities.

A novel isoflavonoid from Millettia puguensis.

From the roots of Millettia puguensis (Leguminosae), a novel isoflavonoid (5), 2'-methoxy-4',5'-methylenedioxy-7,8-[2-(1-methylethenyl)furo]isoflavone, and four known compounds, i. e., lupeol (1), (-)-maackiain (2), 6,7-dimethoxy-3',4'-methylenedioxyisoflavone (3) and 7,2'-dimethoxy-4',5'-methylenedioxyisoflavone (4) were isolated and identified by 1H-, 13C-NMR and mass spectroscopy.