Anti-Trichomonal Activities Of Extracts And Furocoumarins Of Murraya Koenigii Fruits

Abstract

Murraya koenigii has been used in ethnomedicine for its anti-infective and anti-protozoal properties and therefore the methanolic extracts of pericarps and seeds and the furocoumarins isolated from the seeds were evaluated for anti-trichomonal activities using Trichomonas gallinae. The demonstrated anti-trichomonal activities of the fruit extracts and isolates that were comparable to that of Metronidazole, the standard anti-trichomonal agent used, show that furocoumarins acting synergistically were the active constituents of this furocoumarin-producing M. koenigii. The structure activity relationships of the furocoumarins showed that a free H-8 may be important for this activity as prenyl substitution at C-5 gave a better activity than at C-8. The presence of double bond(s) in the substituents gave poorer activity while those of oxygenated groups such as epoxy, hydroxyl and another lactone significantly increased the activity. The low toxicity profile of the extracts using haemagglutination activity of formaldehyde fixed bovine erythrocytes supports the internal use of the plant in medicine. Hence, use of this plant as a spice similar to the carbazole-producing M. koenigii would confer on the user additional protection against trichomonads and may confirm the ethnomedicinal uses of the plants in the treatment of protozoal diseases such as amoebiasis, dysentery and trichomoniasis as well as represent a cheaper alternative to metronidazole. IFE Journal of Science Vol. 9 (2) 2007 pp. 155-160