Norisoprenoids from Asystasia gangetica (L) T. Anderson var. micrantha (Acanthaceae)

Asystasia gangetica (L) T. Anderson var. micrantha (Acanthaceae), commonly known as ‘Chinese violet’ or ‘rumput Israel’, is a straggling herb usually found among short grasses and along the roadsides. Various parts of this plant are also used as remedy for hypertension [1], asthma [2] and to treat treat skin allergies [3]. Present study was designed to isolate and elucidate bioactive compounds from this plant. Methanolic extract of the plant leaves was fractionated by using PLC. Selected fractions were subjected to preparative HPLC and recycling HPLC for further purification. The structures of isolated compounds were characterized by using spectroscopic method including NMR, IR, UV and mass spectral data as well as comparison with literature. Three phytochemical constituents namely loliolide (1), dedydrololiolide (2) and and megastigmane (3) have been purified ([Fig 1]). All of the compounds were identified for the first time from genus Asystasia.

Fig. 1 Isolated compounds from Asystasia gangetica.

• References

• 1 Mugabo P, , and Raji IA. Effects of aqueous leaf extract of Asystasia gangetica on the blood pressure and heart rate in male spontaneously hypertensive Wistar rats. Complementary and Altern Med 2013; 13: 283 .
• 2 Akah PA, Ezike AC, Nwafor SV, Okoli CO, Enwerem NM. Evaluation of the anti-asthmatic property of Asystasia gangetica leaf extracts. J Ethnopharmacol 2003; 89: 25-36
• 3 Senthilkumar M, Gurumoorthi P, Janardhanan K. (2006) Some medicinal plants used by Irular, the tribal people of Marudhamalai hills, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Nat. Prod. Rad. 2006; (05) : 382-388.