Abstract
The diterpenes ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, ent-kaur-9(11),16(17)-dien-19-oic acid and 3α-angeloiloxy-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid
were identified as trypanosomicidal compounds of the ethanolic extract from the aerial
parts of Wedelia paludosa D.C. (Asteraceae), showing activity up to the lowest dose of 0.68 mg/mL in the in vitro assay against trypomastigotes of T. cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis). The other isolates,
friedelan-3β-ol, ent-kaur-16α-ol-19-oic acid, β-amyrin acetate and (22-E)-stigmasta-5,22-dien-3β-ol, were inactive. This is the first report on the trypanosomicidal
activity of ent-kaur-9(11),16(17)-dien-19-oic acid and 3α-angeloiloxy-ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acids; this effect was already known for ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid.
