Planta Med 2019; 85(18): 1505
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3399938
Main Congress Poster
Poster Session 1
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Unlocking secrets of congolese biodiversity: the chemistry of Croton haumanianus (Euphorbiaceae) J. Léonard

SM Isyaka
1   Natural Products Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey,, GU2 7XH, Guildford, Surrey UK
2   Department of Chemical Sciences, Federal University Kashere,, Gombe, Nigeria
,
MK Langat
1   Natural Products Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey,, GU2 7XH, Guildford, Surrey UK
,
T Hodges
1   Natural Products Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey,, GU2 7XH, Guildford, Surrey UK
,
B Selway
1   Natural Products Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey,, GU2 7XH, Guildford, Surrey UK
,
E Mas-Claret
1   Natural Products Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey,, GU2 7XH, Guildford, Surrey UK
,
BM Mbala
3   Departement de Chimie et Industry, Faculte des Sciences, Universite de Kinshasa,, Democratic Republic of the Congo
,
DA Mulholland
1   Natural Products Research Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey,, GU2 7XH, Guildford, Surrey UK
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
20 December 2019 (online)

 

Croton haumanianus J. Léonard (Euphorbiaceae) is a tree occurring mainly in Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Southern Cameroon. Croton species have produced two marketed drugs, plaunotol from C. stellatopilosus, used to treat ulcers, and Sangre De Drago (or Dragon’s blood) from C. lechleri, which is used in the treatment of inflammation and dysentery. The stem bark of C. haumanianus has been reported to contain two diterpenoids, crotocorylifuran, a clerodane-type, and crotohaumanoxide, a crotofolane-type, and lupeol, a triterpenoid.[1] In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a decoction of the stem bark is used in the treatment of gonorrhea and rheumatism, and as an arrow poison.[2] This research is part of the ongoing project at the University of Surrey investigating the Chemistry of African Croton species. Thirty-two diterpenoids, two sesquiterpenoids, two triterpenoids, and a steroid, syringaldehyde, octyl-trans-ferulate and phaeophytin-b have been isolated from the CH2Cl2 and MeOH extracts of the leaves and stem bark of C. haumanianus. The structures of these compounds, shown below, were determined using NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Eighteen previously unreported diterpenoids, twelve ent-kauranes, 4-5, 7, 9-10, 12-13, & 15-19, and three ent-clerodanes, 21-23, were obtained along with three ent-isopimaranes, 26, 29, & 31, and the known compounds, 1-3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 20, 24, 25, 27-28 & 30. Compounds 11, 12, 13, 15 showed selective activity against three of the NCI 60 cancer cell lines, the colon (HCT-116), the melanoma (M14) and the renal (786-0) cancer cell lines at a concentration of 10-5 M.

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Fig. 1 Compounds isolated from the leaves and stem bark of Croton haumanianus
 

  • References

  • 1 Tchissambou L, Chiaroni A, Riche C, Khuong-Huu F. Crotocorylifuran and crotohaumanoxide, new diterpenes from Croton haumanianus J. Leonard. Tetrahedron 1990; 46: 5199-5202
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