Planta Med 2015; 81 - PW_108
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1565732

Phytochemical and biological activity studies on Enterolobium contortisiliquum pods

AA Matloub 1, RS Mohammed 1, S El-Hallouty 1, SSM Elsouda 2, EZ Gomaa 3
  • 1Pharmacognosy Department, National Research Centre, 33 Bohouth Street, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
  • 2Chemistry of natural compounds Department, National Research Centre, 33 Bohouth Street, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
  • 3Department of Biological and Geological Sciences, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong is a tree belonging to family Leguminosae. Nevertheless, it is widely spread in Egypt; the chemical composition was not yet investigated. GC-MS analysis of unsaponifiable matter of E. contortisiliquum revealed that α- and β-amyrin and 4-methyl 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol to be its main components, while palmitic and 9,12-octadecadienoic acids were the major fatty acids. Nine sugar components were identified in hydrolysate of mucilage with glucose (34.89%), xylose (6.78%) and rhamnose (5.98%) being the predominant sugars by GLC. Fourteen amino acids have been identified in protein fraction. The phenolic fraction was chromatographed over polyamide to yield gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, quercetin-7-rutinoside, catechin, isovitexin and quercetin, which were characterized by the comparison of their physical and spectral data with those in the literature. Further, HPLC analysis of the phenolic fraction revealed the presence of pyrogallol, syringic and p-coumaric acids.

The crude extract (70% alcohol) and the saponin fraction exhibited potent cytotoxic activity on HepG2 (IC50 14 and 29 µg/mL) and MCF7 (IC50 16 & 31 µg/mL) cell lines. The mucilage and petroleum ether fractions showed cytotoxicity activity on HepG2 with (IC50 19 & 61 µg/mL), while phenolic fraction showed cytotoxicity towards MCF7 cells with IC50 value of 79 µg/mL.

The antibacterial activity of different fractions were evaluated against seven Gram-positive and six Gram-negative microorganisms using agar well diffusion assay method. Maximum inhibition was observed with compounds at 1 mg/mL; catechin and protocatechuic acid against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (-ve) (14.5 and 17 mm, respectively) while, the crude and petroleum ether extracts showed antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus luteus (+ve) (inhibition zone 12 and 10 mm, respectively). Whereas, polysaccharide and protein exhibited antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumonia (-ve) (16 and 13 mm, respectively).