Isolation and identification of poisonous triterpenoids from Elaeodendron croceum

Abstract

Various plant species have been reported traditionally as well as in scientific literature for cytotoxicity against animal species. Isolation of several poisonous compounds from plant species has been reported previously. Elaeodendron croceum is a well-known poisonous plant species of which the poisonous compounds have not yet been isolated. A phytochemical investigation of E. croceum leaves guided by cytotoxicity against Vero cells, led to the isolation of five known compounds; 20-hydroxy-20-epi-tingenone (1), tingenone (2), tingenine B (3), 11α-hydroxy-β-amyrin (4), and naringenin (5). Compounds 1 and 2 showed the highest toxicity against Vero cells (IC50: 2.651 nM and 8.233 μM respectively). Cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds against three human cancer cell lines, HeLa, MCF-7, and SNO was also determined. Compounds 1 and 2 again showed the highest cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging between 2.478 – 0.427 μM. This is the first report on the isolation, identification, and in vitro evaluation of poisonous compounds from E. croceum. Copyright