Planta Med 2012; 78 - PI452
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1321139

Cucurbitacin glycosides from Datisca glomerata with antiplasmodial activity

R Graziose 1, MH Grace 2, T Rathinasabapathy 1, P Rojas-Silva 1, C Dekock 3, A Poulev 1, MA Lila 2, P Smith 3, I Raskin 1
  • 1Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, SEBS, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 USA
  • 2Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Research Campus, 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
  • 3Division of Pharmacology, University of Cape Town Medical School,K45, OMB Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory 7925, South Africa

The traditionally used antimalarial plant, Datisca glomerata (C.Presl) Baill., was subjected to antiplasmodial assay guided fractionation. This led to the isolation of seven new cucurbitacin glycosides, datiscosides I-O, along with the two known compounds, datiscoside and datiscoside B, from the aerial parts of D. glomerata. Their structures and relative stereochemistry were determined on the basis of mass spectrometry, 1D and 2D NMR. Antiplasmodial IC50 values were determined for all isolated compounds, which were also evaluated in vitro for their ability to inhibit Leishmania tarentoleae. The antiplasmodial activity of the compounds was moderate, and ranged from 33.3µM to 7.7µM. None of the compounds showed appreciable antileishmanial activity.