Phytochemistry and antiplasmodial activity of leaves.

Aiming to investigate the antiplasmodial activity and the phytochemical composition of leaves, the essential oil and dichloromethane extract were analyzed by gas and liquid chromatography, respectively, both of them coupled to mass spectrometry, and were evaluated against the chloroquine-resistant strain (W2) and for cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells. Low growth inhibition of as well as low cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells were observed for the essential oil. The leaves dichloromethane extract showed moderate growth inhibition of and low cytotoxicity to HepG2 cells. Bioguided chromatographic fractionation of this extract led to fractions with increased antiplasmodial activity from which liriodenine (IC 6.1 ± 0.1 μg/mL, CC > 1000.0 μg/mL, SI > 164), an aporphine alkaloid, and an acetogenin-rich fraction containing mainly isomers of annomontacin and 4-deoxy-annomontacin (IC 22.7 ± 1.9 µg/mL, CC 336.1 ± 15.5 µg/mL, SI = 15) might be highlighted for their antiplasmodial activity.