Isolation and characterisation of active principle from the leaves extract of <i>Fadogia erythrophloea</i> (K. Schum. & K. Krause) Hutch and Dalziel

Abstract

Fadogia erythrophloea (K. Schum. & K. Krause) Hutch and Dalziel is a specie from the family of Rubiaceae. The plant materials of Fadogia erythrophloea have been used in Africa in alternative medicine to remedy dysentery, malaria, childhood fever, as antidotes (venomous stings, bites, etc.), emetics, vermifuge, colic and constipation. Therefore, this study was designed to isolate active principle(s) present in the leaves extract of Fadogia erythrophloea and to test for possible in-vitro antimicrobial activity. Isolation works were carried out using various chromatographic techniques on the n-butanol fraction; this yielded a pure compound labelled as ‘F.e’. From the data obtained through spectroscopic techniques using ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, DEPT, COSY, NOESY, HMBC and HSQC Nuclear Magnetic Resonances (NMR),the compound ‘F.e’ was identified to be an ipolamiide
(an iridoid glycoside). Based on the findings in this research work, it can be concluded that the leaves of the plant Fadogia erythrophloea (K.Schum. & K.Krause) Hutch. & Dalziel possess measurable in-vitro antimicrobial activity against many of the microorganisms implicated in the pathogenesis of human infections.

Keywords: Fadogia erythrophloea, Rubiaceae, Isolation, spectroscopic techniques, iridoid glycoside, ipolamiide, in-vitro antimicrobial activity