Greener Journal of Biological Sciences

Greener Journal of  Biological Sciences Vol. 2 (2), pp. 020-024, October 2012

 © 2012 Authors

Research Paper

Manuscript Number: 08241250

Antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities of flavonoids and arylbenzofuran derivatives from Morus mesozygia

Fabien Zelefack^1,2,*, David Guilet^2,5, Alexis Valentin⁴, 

René C. Soh Fongang³, Blaise Kom⁶, Séverine Chevalley⁴,  Silvère A. Ngouela³, Etienne Tsamo³, Nicolas Fabre⁴, 

Marie-Geneviève  Dijoux-Franca²

¹ University of Ngaoundere, University Institut of Technology (IUT), Department of basis Sciences.  

P.O. Box. 455, Ngaoundere Cameroon

²  Université de Lyon, UMR 5557 CNRS, Ecologie microbienne, 8 avenue Rockefeller, 69373 Lyon, France.

³ University of Yaoundé 1, Department of Organic Chemistry, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon

⁴  Université de Toulouse, UMR 152 IRD-UPS, Laboratoire de Pharmacochimie et Pharmacologie pour le Développement - PHARMA-DEV, 31062 Toulouse, France.

⁵ Université d'Angers, Laboratoire SONAS,  IFR QUASAV, 16 Bd Daviers, 49100 Angers, France

⁶  University of Ngaoundere, Department of Chemistry. P.O. Box 454, Ngaoundere Cameroon

*Corresponding Author’s Email: fzelef @yahoo .fr

Abstract:

Morus mesozygia Stapf (Moraceae) is a plant found in many regions and used in treating many diseases including malaria and fever. Fractionation of the methanolic extract of its stem bark, using various chromatographic methods has led to the isolation and identification of 3 flavonoids: artocarpesin, artochamin C and kushenol E. And 4 arylbenzofuran derivatives: moracin M, moracin C, moracin L and mulberofuran F. The methanolic extract and the seven isolated compounds were tested for antiplasmodial activity against the chloroquine-resistant FcB1Plasmodium falciparum strain and cytotoxicity on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Relating to the antiplasmodial activity, it was found that all compounds were active against the FcB1 strain ofPlasmodium with artocarpesin, koushenol E and mulberrofuran F showing particular potency (with the median inhibitory concentrations IC50 = 2.5-2.6 µg/ml). Cytotoxicity tests performed on MCF-7 cells revealed all the IC50 varying from <1.0 to 5.0 ± 0.6 µg/mL. A structure – activity relationship is discussed. 

Keywords: Morus mesozygia; Antimalarial; Arylbenzofurans; Flavonoids; Antiplasmodial; Cytotoxicity

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