Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Isolation of a pentacyclic triterpenoid from the antiplasmodial bioactive fraction of Nauclea latifolia (Sm) roots

Edet E Asanga¹ , Godwin O Igile¹

¹Department of Biochemistry, Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Cross River State, Nigeria; ²Department of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria; ³Department of Chemistry, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria; ⁴Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Medicine, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria.

For correspondence:- Edet Asanga Email: edyasangae1@yahoo.com Tel:+2348032586166

Accepted: 28 February 2022 Published: 31 March 2022

Citation: Asanga EE, Igile GO. Isolation of a pentacyclic triterpenoid from the antiplasmodial bioactive fraction of Nauclea latifolia (Sm) roots. Trop J Pharm Res 2022; 21(3):611-618 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v21i3.22

© 2022 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To research the antiplasmodial property of aqueous extract, fractions, and residue of Nauclea latifolia roots and to isolate the components responsible for the antiplasmodial activity.

Methods: Roots of N. latifolia were macerated with distilled water; the extract was obtained, successively partitioned with ethyl acetate and butanol. The extract, fractions, and the residue obtained were evaluated for their in vivo antiplasmodial activity and compared with amodiaquine and artesunate. The residue (which exhibited the best therapeutic index) was subjected to column and thin layer chromatography to isolate its components. Purification led to the isolation of betulinic acid, which was characterized with the aid of spectroscopic techniques (¹H, ¹³C NMR, and EI-MS).

Results: The residue significantly inhibited parasite growth from 42.8 % (D2) to 77.6 % (D5). Therefore, residue exhibited the highest therapeutic index against Plasmodium berghei in the three in vivo antiplasmodial (prophylactic, suppressive, and curative) models and it compared favourably with amodiaquine (80.5 %) and artesunate (85.9 %). The major component of the residue was betulinic acid.

Conclusion: The results validate the antiplasmodial claims of the roots of N. latifolia in folkloric medicine, and demonstrated that the isolate has a high therapeutic index in this regard. Further investigations, however, are required to determine the clinical efficacy and safety of the compound/isolate.

Keywords: Nauclea latifolia, Malaria, Betulinic acid, Plasmodium berghei, Parasite density, Growth inhibition