Planta Med 2008; 74 - PA186
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084184

Phytochemical and antitrypanosomal study of a Libyan medicinal plant

NB Ermeli 1, V Seidel 1, CJ Clements 2, AI Gray 1
  • 1Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Science, John Arbuthnott Building, University of Strathclyde, 27 Taylor Street, Glasgow, G4 0NR UK
  • 2Strathclyde Innovation in Drug Research, John Arbuthnott Building, University of Strathclyde, 27 Taylor Street, Glasgow, G4 0NR UK

Objectives: Phytochemical investigation of a Libyan Medicinal Plant and study the antiprotozoal activity of isolated compounds against Tyrypanosoma brucei brucei protozoa responsible for African sleeping sickness.

Methods:The dried aerial part of Sarcopoterium spinosum (Rosaceae), was extracted using Sohxlet with different polarity of solvents, then subjected to a range of chromatographic techniques. The pure compounds were screened in a bioassay system [1] to determine whether they demonstrated activity against Tyrypanosoma brucei brucei. A serial dilution method was used to measure the MIC of compounds which showed activity.

Results: Among 9 pure compounds isolated and tested in vitro for their activity against Tyrypanosoma brucei brucei, ursolic acid and 2α, 3α, 19α -trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid showed a high activity. The other compounds, which included some related triterpenes, showed no activity in this test.

Conclusion: Some triterpenes have previously been shown to have activity against African trypanomiasis [2]. Ursolic acid and 2α, 3α, 19α-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid had potent in vitro activity against T. brucei brucei compared with suramin, while some other triterpene derivatives had no activity.

Acknowledgements: Strathclyde University and Al-Fateh University for funding N.B.E.

References: 1. Raz, B., et al. (1997) Acta Tropica 68:139–147. 2. Hoet, S. et al. (2004)J. Nat.Prod.Rep. 353–364.