Mycetoma is a devastating neglected tropical infection of the subcutaneous tissues. It is caused by fungal and bacterial pathogens recognized as eumycetoma and actinomycetoma, respectively. Mycetoma treatment involves diagnosing the causative microorganism as a prerequisite to prescribing a proper medication.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAncistrobrevinium A () is the first -methylated and non-hydrogenated, and thus cationic naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid. It was discovered in the root bark extract of the phytochemically productive West African liana (Ancistrocladaceae). Its constitution was elucidated by HR-ESI-MS and 1D and 2D NMR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA new dimeric naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid, jozibrevine D (4e), was isolated from the Central-African liana Ancistrocladus ileboensis. It is a Dioncophyllaceae-type metabolite, being R-configured at C-3 and lacking an oxygen function at C-6 in both isoquinoline moieties. The two identical monomers of jozibrevine D are symmetrically linked via the sterically constrained 3',3''-positions of the naphthalene units so that the central biaryl linkage is rotationally hindered and the alkaloid is, thus, C-symmetric.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe discovery of a new naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid, dioncophyllidine E (4), from the tropical liana Ancistrocladus abbreviatus (Ancistrocladaceae) is described. Due to its rare 7,3'-coupling type, combined with the lack of an oxygen function at C-6, it is configurationally semi-stable at the biaryl axis, and thus occurs as a pair of slowly interconverting atropo-diastereomers, 4a and 4b. Its constitution was assigned mainly by 1D and 2D NMR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBy combining docking and molecular dynamics simulations, we explored a library of 65 mostly axially chiral naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids and their analogues, with most different molecular architectures and structural analogues, for their activity against SARS-CoV-2. Although natural biaryls are often regarded without consideration of their axial chirality, they can bind to protein targets in an atroposelective manner. By combining docking results with steered molecular dynamics simulations, we identified one alkaloid, korupensamine A, that atropisomer-specifically inhibited the main protease (M) activity of SARS-CoV-2 significantly in comparison to the reference covalent inhibitor GC376 (IC = 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory activity of Khaya senegalensis extracts was evaluated. The DPP-IV from a rat kidney was purified to a purification fold of 2.3.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious research shows that the root and bark extracts of Euclea natalensis have antiplasmodial activity, but the leaves have not been examined yet. This study investigated the phytochemical, antiplasmodial, and cytotoxic properties of the plant leaves. The activity against 3D7 Plasmodium falciparum was determined using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay, and the cytotoxicity against Vero and HeLa cells was evaluated using the MTT and resazurin assays, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe naphthylisoquinoline (NIQ) alkaloids are a thrilling class of natural biaryls─structurally, biosynthetically, and pharmacologically. A common feature of these metabolites is the biaryl bond between their naphthalene and isoquinoline moieties, which in most cases is rotationally hindered, leading to the phenomenon of axial chirality. Depending on their individual structures, including the respective axial configurations, NIQs show promising bioactivities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEthnobotanical information indicates that is used in northern Nigeria for the management of poisonous snakebites and the methanol extract was previously reported to have antivenin activity. In this study, we report the isolation of an oxyprenylated bioactive secondary metabolite; 2',4'- dihydroxy-4-prenyloxychalcone from the chloroform fraction of the aerial parts of the plant's methanol extract and the evaluation of the compound against venom. The compound has demonstrated significant (p < 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis used in Zulu traditional medicine as an antimalarial remedy. A moderate antiplasmodial activity was previously reported for extracts of the plant against D10 . This study aimed to identify the phytochemicals responsible for the antiplasmodial activity of the leaf extract.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiterpenes are a diverse group of structurally complex natural products with a wide spectrum of biological activities, including antidiabetic potential. In the last 25 years, numerous diterpenes have been investigated for antidiabetic activity, with some of them reaching the stage of clinical trials. However, these studies have not been comprehensively reviewed in any previous publication.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSub-Saharan Africa is profoundly challenged with African Animal Trypanosomiasis and the available trypanocides are faced with drawbacks, necessitating the search for novel agents. Herein, the chemotherapeutic potential of phloroglucinol on infection and its inhibitory effects on the partially purified sialidase and phospholipase A (PLA) were investigated. Treatment with phloroglucinol for 14 days significantly ( < 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious results indicated that the methanol extract of has antiplasmodial activity but no compounds have ever been isolated from the plant. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the phytochemical and antiplasmodial properties of the plant. The methanol leaf extract of inhibited at 50 µg/mL (> 80% inhibition) and was not cytotoxic against HeLa cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCovering: up to April 2021During the past decades, a plethora of natural products with restricted rotation about a biaryl axis have been discovered, among them the naphthylisoquinoline (NIQ) alkaloids, mostly ,-coupled and having remarkable bioactivities. Within this fascinating class of naturally occurring biaryl compounds, NIQ alkaloids bearing an ,-heterobiaryl axis have attracted particular attention. They are structurally and biosynthetically unprecedented, with interesting stereochemical implications and biological activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEthnobotanical surveys indicate that the Masai and Kikuyu in Kenya, the Venda in South Africa, and the Gumuz people of Ethiopia use for the treatment of malaria. The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical and antiplasmodial properties of the plant leaves. The bioactive compounds were isolated using chromatographic techniques.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in regions of the world where it is endemic. An unprecedented decline in malaria incidences was recorded during the last decade due to the availability of effective control interventions, such as the deployment of artemisinin-based combination therapy and insecticide-treated nets. However, according to the World Health Organization, malaria is staging a comeback, in part due to the development of drug resistance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study was designed to review the antidiabetic potential of anthraquinones (AQs) with emphasis on the extent of blood glucose reduction, the half maximal inhibitory concentration values (in vitro studies), the proposed mechanisms of action, and the structure activity relationship studies. We sourced relevant data from the major scientific databases (Pubmed, Science Direct, Medline, and Google Scholar). According to our search, 25 AQs have shown variable antidiabetic potential, whereas one AQ (morindone-6-O-β-D-primeveroside) showed no blood glucose-lowering ability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeishmaniases are endemic diseases in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world and are considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be among the six most important neglected tropical diseases. The current therapeutic arsenal against the disease is associated with a series of chemotherapeutic setbacks. However, since the early 1990s, naturally occurring chalcones with promising antileishmanial effects have been reported, and several other synthetic chalcones and chalcone-hybrid molecules have been confirmed to possess potent activity against various Leishmania species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnti-proliferative activity of the ethyl acetate fractions of Ochna schweinfurthiana F. Hoffm. and Ochna kibbiensis Hutch.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim was to determine the chemical constituents and antimicrobial activity of the hexane leaf extract of Anisopus mannii against a wide range of human pathogenic microorganisms.
Methods: The chemical constituents of the hexane leaf extract was determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis; and the antimicrobial activity was evaluated on "standard strains", clinical susceptible and resistant bacterial and fungal isolates using the disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods.
Results: GC-MS analysis of the hexane leaf extract revealed 32 compounds, representing 73.
A new flavonoid, 2-(3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-3,5-dihydroxy-8,8-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-8H-pyrano[3,2]chromen-4-one, together with previously reported epicatechin was isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the methanol extract of the stem bark of Commiphora pedunculata. The structures of these compounds were elucidated based on extensive analysis of their spectral data, including 1 and 2D NMR. The compounds were active against 9 out of 12 tested microorganisms including a resistant strain; vancomycin-resistant entrococci (VRE), Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Medicinal plants remain one of the largest reservoirs of new bioactive compounds. In this study, a new prenylated benzo-lactone (4, 6-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-3-(1, 2, 3, 4, 5-pentahydroxypentyl)-2-benzofuran-1(3H)-one) was isolated from the acetone extracts of the rhizome of Cissus cornifolia. The antimicrobial activity of the compound was evaluated against some microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Candida albicans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe first reported investigation into the phytochemical constituents of Commiphora pedunculata led to the isolation of two flavonoids: kaempferol and dihydrokaempferol from the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of the methanol extract of the stem bark of the plant. The structures of these compounds were characterised by comparing their spectral data including 1D and 2D NMR with those reported in the literature. The two compounds were active against 6 out of 10 tested microorganisms including two resistant strains [methiciline-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant entrococci (VRE)], Candida albicans and Escherichia coli.
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