Bioactive Diterpenes and Sesquiterpenes from the Rhizomes of Wild Ginger (Siphonochilus aethiopicus (Schweinf) B.L Burtt)
Abstract
Wild ginger (Siphonochilus aethiopicus (Schweinf) B.L Burtt) is used in traditional medicines in the West and South of Africa. In the present study, the crude hexane extract of wild ginger was evaluated for in vitro bioactivity. The components isolated from the plant for the first time are: epi-curzerenone, furanodienone (sesquiterpenes), 8(17),12E-labdadiene-15,16-dial, 15-hydroxy-8(17),12E-labdadiene-16-al and 16-oxo-8(17),12E-labdadiene-15-oic acid (labdanes). Cytotoxicity determinations using five cell lines: SH-SY5Y (human, Caucasian, bone marrow, neuroblastoma), Jurkat (human, peripheral blood, leukaemia T cell), L929 (mouse, CH3/connective tissue, areolar and adipose tumour cells), Hep G2 (human, Caucasian, hepatocellular carcinoma) and Hs 27 (normal, human, foreskin cells) were carried out. Anti-trypanosomal activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei (S427) blood stream forms and anti-bacterial activity against Mycobacterium aurum (CIP .104482) were also investigated. Activity against M. aurum was moderate and at 100μg/ml, the crude extract together with the labdanes showed specific cytotoxicity, indicating anti-cancer potency. Anti-trypanosomal activity was observed in the crude extract which increased with the pure components: 8(17),12E-labdadiene-15,16-dial (MIC = 5.3 μM) and the sesquiterpenoids (MIC = 6.9 μM) as compared to suramin activity (MIC = 10 μM). This anti-trypanosomal activity which is being reported for the first time indicates possible usage against sleeping sickness and nagana in cattle.
Key words: Anti-bacterial activity; Anti-trypanosomal activity; Cytotoxicity; Labdane diterpenoids; Sesquiterpenoids; Siphonochilus aethiopicus.
Copyright: Creative Commons Attribution CC.
This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials. View License Deed | View Legal Code Authors can also self-archive their manuscripts immediately and enable public access from their institution's repository. This is the version that has been accepted for publication and which typically includes author-incorporated changes suggested during submission, peer review and in editor-author communications.