Planta Med 2016; 82 - PC9
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1578711

Alkylphenols And Diarylheptanoids From Aframomum Melegueta

Z Ali 1, Z Zhang 1, IA Khan 1, 2
  • 1National Center for Natural Products Research
  • 2Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA

Aframomum melegueta K. Schum (Zingiberaceae) is commonly known as grains of paradise, Guinea grains, alligator pepper, melegueta pepper, or Guinea pepper, which is widely cultivated for its valuable seeds in the tropical regions of Africa [1, 2]. Three new and seven known metabolites, belonging to alkylphenols and diarylheptanoids were isolated and characterized from the methanol extract of A. melegueta. Structure elucidation of the isolates was achieved by means of NMR and mass spectroscopic data analyses. The absolute configurations were determined using the modified Mosher's method.

Fig. 1

Acknowledgements: This research is supported by “Science Based Authentication of Dietary Supplements” funded by the Food and Drug Administration grant number 1U01FD004246 – 05.

References: [1] Ukeh DA, Birkett MA, etal. (2009) Phytochemistry 70:751 – 758. [2] Umukoro S, Ashorobi RB, (2007) Journal of Ethnopharmacology 109:501 – 4.