Alkaloid Extract Research Articles

Dispersive solid-phase extraction of alkaloids and polyphenols using borate hypercrosslinked polymers.

In this study, a borate hyper-crosslinked polymer was synthesized by crosslinking 1-naphthalene boric acid and dimethoxymethane via the Friedel-Crafts reaction. The prepared polymer exhibits excellent adsorption performance toward alkaloids and polyphenols with maximum adsorption capacities ranging from 25.07 to 39.60mg/g. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms model results indicated the adsorption was a monolayer and chemical process. Under the optimal extraction conditions, a sensitive method was established for the simultaneous quantification of alkaloids and polyphenols in green tea and Coptis chinensis by coupling with the proposed sorbent and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography detection. The proposed method exhibited a wide linear range of 5.0-5000.0ng/ml with R2 ≥ 0.99, a low limit of detection (0.66-11.25ng/ml), and satisfactory recoveries (81.2%-117.4%). This work provides a simple and convenient candidate for the sensitive determination of alkaloids and polyphenols in green tea and complex herbal products.

Ultra-high pressure-assisted micelles for simultaneous and efficient extraction of two insoluble alkaloids from Camptotheca acuminata seeds

As countries focus more on environmental issues, the development of sustainable green technologies has received increasing attention from researchers. This study aimed to propose a green, low-energy-consumption and high-efficiency extraction method for the simultaneous extraction of insoluble alkaloids from plants at room temperature and provide theoretical basis and data support to solve the problem of poorly soluble analogs. Ultra-high pressure (UHP) assisted eco-friendly micellar media (sodium lauryl sulfonate, SLS) at room temperature were applied to extract two insoluble alkaloids, namely, camptothecin (CPT) and hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT), from Camptotheca acuminata seeds simultaneously. The extraction processes of CPT and HCPT were optimized by single-factor and response-surface methodology. The final extraction rates of CPT and HCPT were 82.68 % ± 1.2 % and 89.02 % ± 1.2 %, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to simulate the interaction between molecules. The hydrogen bond and electrostatic force between CPT, HCPT and SLS caused the formation of CPT-SLS and HCPT-SLS supramolecules, and folds self-assembled into micelles. The combination of these two forces made SLS more soluble in CPT and HCPT, which resulted in the extraction of active components. In the study of the kinetic model of UHP extraction, the entire process occurred by fast washing and slow diffusion simultaneously, with fast washing as the main step. During the extraction process, the endosperm, embryo and cotyledon of Camptotheca acuminata seeds were broken to extract the target components. Compared with other traditional extraction methods, the proposed method shows higher efficiency and lower energy consumption and provides a high-efficiency, environmentally protective, safe, and cost-saving for strategy for the industrial production of natural products.

Usability of planted mangroves in the coastal area of Semarang, Indonesia, as the source of secondary metabolite extracts

Abstract. Hastuti ED, Izzati M, Darmanti S. 2023. Usability of planted mangroves in the coastal area of Semarang, Indonesia, as the source of secondary metabolite extracts. Biodiversitas 24: 2409-2415. Mangrove plants are a potential source of secondary metabolites. So the secondary metabolites from mangrove plants must be assessed to promote their utilization. Considering this, the present study was carried out to analyze the alkaloid and phenol content in mangrove species in Tugu District, Semarang City, Central Java, Indonesia. Alkaloid and phenol content in five mangrove species (Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Rhizophora mucronata, Sonneratia alba, and Xylocarpus moluccensis) were estimated using the spectrophotometry method. The study results revealed that the alkaloid content of A. marina was highest (0.23 ± 0.11%), while the highest concentration of phenol content was found in X. moluccensis (9.66 ± 1.36%). However, after including the other parameters, viz., abundance Index and accessibility Index, A. marina, was found to be a potential source of alkaloid extract, and R. mucronata was a potential source of phenol extract.

From the Spectroscopic Reassessment of Authentic Alkaloid Samples to the Molecular Networking-Guided Discovery of Criophylline-Related Analogues from Callichilia inaequalis.

The molecular network-guided exploration of the alkaloid extract of Callichilia inaequalis stems revealed a cluster attributed tentatively to dimeric monoterpene indole alkaloids of the rare criophylline subtype, initiating the dual study reported herein. A patrimonial-themed portion of this work was aimed at performing a spectroscopic reassessment of criophylline (1), a monoterpene bisindole alkaloid for which the nature of the inter-monomeric connectivity and configurational assignments have remained dubious. A targeted isolation of the entity annotated as criophylline (1) was undertaken to strengthen the available analytical evidence. An extensive set of spectroscopic data was acquired from the authentic sample of criophylline (1a) isolated earlier by Cavé and Bruneton. These spectroscopic studies proved the samples to be identical, and the complete structure of criophylline could be assigned, half a century after it was first isolated. The absolute configuration of andrangine (2) was also ascertained based on a TDDFT-ECD approach from the authentic sample. The forward-looking aspect of this investigation resulted in the characterization of two new criophylline derivatives from C. inaequalis stems, namely, 14'-hydroxycriophylline (3) and 14'-O-sulfocriophylline (4). Their structures, including absolute configurations, were elucidated by analysis of NMR and MS spectroscopic data and by ECD analysis. Notably, 14'-O-sulfocriophylline (4) is the first sulfated monoterpene indole alkaloid to have been reported. The antiplasmodial activity against the chloroquine-resistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum FcB1 was determined for criophylline and its two new analogues.

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis alkaloids activates p53 independent cell death receptor and necroptosis pathways in HepG2 cells.

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis is a traditional medicinal plant with potential anti-cancer properties. In this study, crude and alkaloid extracts were prepared from different parts of the plant, and their cytotoxicity was evaluated on four different cancer cell lines. The alkaloid extracts from the leaf and fruit showed promising results, with the HepG2 cell line exhibiting significant cytotoxicity. The promising extracts were further studied for their apoptotic potential using various methods, including DNA fragmentation, TUNEL, Caspase-3 activity, Giemsa, and Hoechst staining. Our results indicated that the fruit extract had the highest apoptotic potential, with clear nuclear condensation, fragmentation, and apoptotic bodies observed. We also investigated the alteration of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio both at the mRNA and protein levels. Our results showed a significant upregulation of the Bax gene and downregulation of the Bcl-2 gene for the fruit alkaloid extract. This indicates that the phenomenon of cell death expression might be following a p53-independent extrinsic pathway and Bax-activated caspase-independent AIF-mediated necroptosis in the HepG2 cancer cell line. Overall, our findings suggest that Nyctanthes arbor-tristis has potential as a therapeutic option for cancer treatment. The alkaloid extracts from the leaf and fruit may hold promise as a source of bioactive compounds for further development into anti-cancer agents. Further studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects and to evaluate their safety and efficacy in animal models and clinical trials.

Anti-Convulsant Activity of Soxhlet Leaf Extracts of Ajuga Integrifolia Buch.-Ham. Ex D.Don (Lamiaceae) in Mice.

The leaves of Ajuga integrifolia Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don (Lamiaceae) have long been used as an anti-convulsant remedy in Ethiopian traditional medicine. However, the evidence supporting their use is sparse in the literature. This study was conducted to add to the existing body of knowledge about the anti-convulsant activity of the plant. The anti-convulsant activity of the extract was investigated in both acute (pentylenetetrazol [PTZ], 80 mg/kg; and maximal electroshock [MES]) and chronic (PTZ, 35 mg/kg) kindling seizure models. For the experimental paradigms, various doses of the extract (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) were administered. Positive controls received sodium valproate (200 mg/kg) for the PTZ model and phenytoin (25 mg/kg) for the MES model. Parameters including the onset of clonus and duration of hindlimb tonic extension were recorded and compared with controls. Moreover, the total alkaloid, flavonoid, and phenol contents of the extracts were determined. Ethyl acetate extract produced a superior effect among all solvent extracts in both the PTZ and MES models. At all doses, it significantly delayed the mean onset of clonus (p<0.01) in the PTZ test compared to controls. It also significantly reduced (p<0.001) the mean duration of hindlimb tonic extension in the MES model. Treatment of mice with 200 mg/kg (p<0.01) and 400 mg/kg (p<0.001) of ethyl acetate extract significantly protected against PTZ-induced kindling compared to controls. The leaf was found to contain 10.002±0.119 mg atropine equivalent per gram of dry extract of alkaloids, 9.045±0.8445 mg quercetin equivalent per gram of dry extract of flavonoids, and 21.928±1.118 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry extract of phenols. This study indicated that the plant A. integrifolia has anti-convulsant activity in both acute and chronic models of seizure. This plant represents a potential source for the development of a new anti-epileptic drug for pharmacoresistant epilepsy.

Opium alkaloids, biosynthesis, pharmacology and association with cancer occurrence

Papaver somniferum L. (Family: Papaveraceae) is a species well known for its diverse alkaloids (100 different benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs)). L-tyrosine serves as a precursor of several specific metabolites like BIAs. It has been used as an antitussive and potent analgesic to alleviate mild to extreme pain since ancient times. The extraction of pharmaceutically important alkaloids like morphine and codeine from poppy plant reflects the need for the most suitable and standard methods. Several analytical and extraction techniques have been reported in open literature for morphine, codeine and other important alkaloids which play a vital function in drug development and drug discovery. Many studies suggest that opioids are also responsible for adverse effects or secondary complications like dependence and withdrawal. In recent years, opium consumption and addiction are the most important risk factors. Many evidence-based reviews suggest that opium consumption is directly linked or acts as a risk factor for different cancers. In this review, we highlight significant efforts related to research which have been done over the past 5 decades and the complete information on Papaver somniferum including its phytochemistry, pharmacological actions, biosynthetic pathways and analytical techniques of opium alkaloid extraction and the link between opium consumption and cancer-related updates.

Acetic acid-induced colitis modulating potential of total crude alkaloidal extract of Picralima nitida seeds in rats.

The total crude alkaloidal extract of Picralima nitida seeds (PNE) is known to possess anti-inflammatory activity among other therapeutic benefits although its benefits in colitis has not been investigated. The current study therefore seeks to investigate the anti-colitis potential of PNE using acetic acid-induced colitis model in rats. Sprague Dawley rats were treated with oral 500 mg/kg sulphasalazine or 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg of PNE daily for 8 days with induction of colitis on the fourth day with acetic acid. Rats were killed 24 h after the last treatment and whole blood was obtained from the jugular vein for hematological analysis and biochemical assays. Colons were extirpated for assessment of macroscopic and histological damage to the colon. Treatment with PNE protected against colonic injury induced with acetic acid by decreasing mucosal ulceration, epithelial erosion, inflammatory cell infiltration, and colonic edema. Thus, PNE preserved mucosal architecture and suppressed goblet cells depletion. Moreover, treatment with PNE was associated with improved hematological parameters and reductions in the expression of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1β, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Also, PNE treatment exerted antioxidant effects by reducing nitric oxide production and increasing glutathione levels. In addition, PNE inhibited colonic lipid peroxidation by decreasing myeloperoxidase activity and malondialdehyde production. It can be concluded that PNE attenuates intestinal oxidative and inflammatory damages following intrarectal acetic acid challenge. Thus, demonstrates potential for use in chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

Identification and expression of key genes related to 1-deoxynojirimycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces lavendulae

BackgroundStreptomyces lavendulae is a bacterium that produces 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), an alkaloid with various beneficial pharmacological properties. While a putative DNJ biosynthesis metabolite pathway has been proposed for this bacterium, the related key genes have not yet been identified. ResultsIn this study, DNJ production during S. lavendulae fermentation was induced by mulberry seed extracts and the key genes related to DNJ biosynthesis under those experimental conditions were identified using transcriptome sequencing. Gene expression was then analyzed using real-time qPCR, and related to metabolite levels in the DNJ pathway. The mulberry seed polysaccharide extract (MSP) induced DNJ yield in S. lavendulae broth more effectively than the mulberry seed alkaloid and flavonoid extracts. Supplementation with 3.00 mg/mL MSP resulted in 27.19 μg/mL DNJ, which was 8.55 times than that in the control group (3.18 μg/mL). Transcriptome sequencing revealed 2328 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in MSP vs. unsupplemented-control comparisons, of which 1151 DEGs were up-regulated and 1177 DEGs were down-regulated in MSP. Functional enrichment analysis revealed four pathways of DNJ biosynthesis. Six key genes related to DNJ biosynthesis were then validated using real-time qPCR and the analysis of intermediate metabolites. These were, aspC, encoding a putative transaminase that produces 2-amino-2-deoxy-d-mannitol-6-phosphate; MJ0374-1 and MJ0374-2, encoding a phosphatase that produces 2-amino-2-deoxy-d-mannitol; and frmA-1, frmA-2, and adhD, which encode a Zn-dependent dehydrogenase that produces mannojirimycin. ConclusionsThis is the first study to identify the genes relevant for DNJ biosynthesis in S. lavendulae, and it paves the way for engineering the bacterium to achieve for industrial-scale DNJ production. How to cite: Xin X, Jiang X, Niu B, et al. Identification and expression of key genes related to 1-deoxynojirimycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces lavendulae. Electron J Biotechnol 2023; 64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2023.03.003.

Extraction of Alkaloids from Colocynthis vulgaris (L.) Schrader harvested in Oued N’sa (Ouargla region)

Plants constitute a vital component of the biodiversity as they play a key role in maintaining earth’s environmental equilibrium and ecosystem stability. Herbal medicine is known to be the oldest form of healing, dating back to ancient Greece (1600 BC). It involves the use of plant to improve, maintain or restore health and wholeness. Phytochemicals are bioactive chemicals of plant origin. They are regarded as secondary metabolites synthesized in all parts of the plant body. The quantity and quality of phytochemicals present in plant parts may differ from one part to another. In fact, there is a lack of information on the distribution of the biological activity in different plant parts mainly due to the difference in distribution of active compounds which are more frequent in some plant parts than in others. Colocynthis vulgaris (L) Schrader is one of the medicinal plants of the Cucurbitaceae family, widespread in Algeria mainly in Ouargla in the region of Oued N'sa. This plant is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases. Its multiple pharmacological properties are due to its richness in active substances, especially alkaloids. The main objective of this study is the comparison between two extraction protocols of alkaloids, one in acid medium and the other in an alkaline medium. The results obtained confirm the plant's richness in alkaloids and the efficiency of the extraction protocol in acid medium.

Enhanced Anti-Rheumatoid Arthritis Activity of Total Alkaloids from Picrasma Quassioides in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Rats by a Targeted Drug Delivery System

New drug delivery systems have rarely been used in the formulation of traditional Chinese medicine, especially those that are crude active Chinese medicinal ingredients. In the present study, hyaluronic acid decorated lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles were used to prepare a targeted drug delivery system (TDDS) for total alkaloid extract from Picrasma quassioides (TAPQ) to improve its targeting property and anti-inflammatory activity. Picrasma quassioides, a common-used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), containing a series of hydrophobic total alkaloids including β-carboline and canthin-6-one alkaloids show great anti-inflammatory activity. However, its high toxicity (IC50= 8.088±0.903 μg/ml), poor water solubility (need to dissolve with 0.8% Tween-80) and poor targeting property severely limits its clinical application. Herein, hyaluronic acid (HA) decorated lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles loaded with TAPQ (TAPQ-NPs) were designed to overcome above mentioned deficiencies. TAPQ-NPs have good water solubility, strong anti-inflammatory activity and great joint targeting property. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity assay showed that the efficacy of TAPQ-NPs was significantly higher than TAPQ(P<0.001). Animal experiments showed that the nanoparticles had good joint targeting property and had strong inhibitory activity against collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). These results indicate that the application of this novel targeted drug delivery system in the formulation of traditional Chinese medicine is feasible.

Morphological Characterization of Nicotiana tabacum Inflorescences and Chemical-Functional Analysis of Extracts Obtained from Its Powder by Using Green Solvents (NaDESs)

The production of smokeable tobacco for use in cigarettes is characterized by the production of pre-harvest and post-harvest waste, with ensuing undesirable effects on the environment. The inflorescences of tobacco after blunting, deflowering, or topping are considered pre-harvest waste and left in the field. Using green and ecofriendly solvents such as Natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs), these wastes could be used to obtain antioxidant molecules of interest in cosmetics. Taking into account its potential as plant matrix to obtain metabolites of commercial interest, tobacco inflorescences and inflorescence powders of different particle sizes were characterized by optic and electronic microscopy. Thus, the powdered inflorescences were extracted with four conventional solvents, i.e., distilled water (DW), acetone: distilled water (AW), ethanol 70° (EW), methanol (Me), and five NaDESs, i.e., lactic acid: sucrose (LAS), lactic acid: sucrose: distilled water (SALA), fructose: glucose: sucrose: distilled water (FGS), choline chloride: urea: distilled water (CU), and citric acid: propylene glycol (CAP). Among the tested NADESs, SALA was the most promising solvent; higher extraction yields of total phenolic compound (3420.0 ± 9.4 µg GAE/mL) than conventional solvents were attained and it was the only selective solvent to phenolics. CU was the best solvent for flavonoids and alkaloids extraction (215.3 ± 3.2 µg QE/mL and 392.3 ± 8.0 µg ACE/mL, respectively). All extracts showed antioxidant activity. A heatmap with dendrogram and main component analysis showed that acid-based NaDESs are grouped together, this group being the one with the best performance in H2O2 scavenging. The extracts obtained with green solvents could be used directly in cosmetic formulations as antioxidant ingredients because both tobacco flower oil and flower extracts are listed in the cosmetic ingredients database as non-toxic products. Additionally, the demand for sustainable ecological cosmetics is growing. In this sense, NaDESs represent an opportunity to develop innovative extracts with unique phytochemical fingerprints and biological activities.

Lethal and Sublethal Toxicity of Beta-Carboline Alkaloids from Peganum harmala (L.) against Aedes albopictus Larvae (Diptera: Culicidae).

Plant-derived agents are powerful bio-pesticides for the eco-friendly control of mosquito vectors and other blood-sucking arthropods. The larval toxicity of beta-carboline alkaloids against the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), was investigated under laboratory conditions. The total alkaloid extracts (TAEs) and beta-carboline alkaloids (harmaline, harmine, harmalol, and harman) from Peganum harmala seeds were isolated and tested in this bioassay. All alkaloids were tested either individually or as binary mixtures, using the co-toxicity coefficient (CTC) and Abbott's formula analysis. The results revealed considerable toxicity of the tested alkaloids against A. albopictus larvae. When all larval instars were exposed to the TAEs at 48 h post-treatment, the mortality of all larval instars varied in a concentration-dependent manner. The second-instar larvae were the most susceptible to different concentrations of TAEs, and the fourth-instar larvae were more tolerant to TAEs than the second-instar larvae. Especially, the third-instar larvae exposed to all alkaloids also showed that all doses resulted in an increased mortality of the third-instar larvae at 48 h post-treatment, and the toxicities of the tested alkaloids in a descending order were TAEs > harmaline > harmine > harmalol, with the LC50 values of 44.54 ± 2.56, 55.51 ± 3.01, 93.67 ± 4.53, and 117.87 ± 5.61 μg/mL at 48 h post-treatment, respectively. In addition, all compounds were also tested individually or in a 1:1 ratio (dose LC25/LC25) as binary mixtures to assess the synergistic toxicity of these binary combinations against the third-instar larvae at 24 and 48 h post-treatment, respectively. The results demonstrated that when tested as a binary mixture, all compounds (especially TAEs, harmaline, and harmine) showed their synergistic effects, exceeding the toxicity of each compound alone. Interestingly, the obtained data further revealed that the TAEs at sublethal doses (LC10 and LC25) could significantly delay the larval development and decrease the pupation and emergence rates of A. albopictus. This phenomenon could be helpful in order to develop more effective control strategies for different notorious vector mosquitoes.

Application of high-speed counter current chromatography in extraction and separation of alkaloids in natural products

Alkaloids, widespread in plants, have a series of pharmacological activities and have been widely used to treat various diseases. Because alkaloids are usually presented in multicomponent mixtures and are deeply low in content, they are very difficult to extract and separate by traditional methods. High-speed counter current chromatography(HSCCC) is a kind of liquid-liquid chromatography without solid support phase, which has the advantages of large injection volume, low cost, and no irreversible adsorption. Compared with the traditional methods of extraction and separation of alkaloids, HSCCC can ensure the separation of many different alkaloids at one time, with a high recovery and large amount. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of HSCCC compared with traditional separation methods were discussed and the solvent system and elution mode of HSCCC used to separate alkaloids in recent years were summarized by referring to the relevant literature to provide some references for the separation of alkaloids by HSCCC.

Candimine from Hippeastrum escoipense (Amaryllidaceae): Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity and synergistic effect with benznidazole

BackgroundChagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, represents a health threat to around 20 million people worldwide. Side effects of benznidazole (Bzn) cause 15–20% of patients to discontinue their treatment. Evidence has increased in favor of the use of drug combinations to improve the efficacy and tolerance of the treatment. Natural products are well known to provide structures that could serve as new drugs or scaffolds for CD treatment. Spp of the Amaryllidoideae sub family of Amaryllidaceae family are known by their bioactives alkaloids, which have been reported by their antiparasitic activities. PurposeTo evaluate the anti-T. cruzi activity of the isolated alkaloid candimine (Cnd) from Hippeastrum escoipense Slanis & Huaylla; and to assess the combination effect between Cnd and Bzn against different life stages of T. cruzi parasites. MethodsThe chemical profile of H. escoipense alkaloids extract (AE-H. escoipense), including quantitation of Cnd was performed through GC/MS and UPLC-MS/MS techniques. Subsequently, Cnd was isolated using Shephadex LH-20. Then, the AE-H. escoipense and Cnd were tested against T. cruzi, (epimastigotes, trypomastigotes, and amastigotes) by in vitro proliferation and viability assays. The cytotoxicity was evaluated against Vero and HepG2 mammalian cells. The ultrastructural analysis was perform by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and mitochondrial activity was carried out by MTT assay. Drug combination assay between Cnd and Bzn was evaluated using the Chou-Talalay method. ResultsThe AE-H. escoipense and Cnd showed high and specific anti-T. cruzi activity, comparable to Bzn. Cnd induces ultrastructural changes in T. cruzi, such as vacuolization, membrane blebs, and increased mitochondrial activity. Regarding the interaction between Cnd and Bzn, it generates synergism in the combinations of 0.25×IC50 in epimastigotes, 2×IC50 in trypomastigotes+amastigotes, and 0.25, 2, and 4×IC50 in amastigotes. ConclusionThe synergism between Cnd and Bzn indicates that the combination at the concentration of 4×IC50 could be useful as an effective new therapy against CD in the chronic stage. Thus, Cnd isolated from the leaves of H. escoipense emerges as potential candidate for the development of a new drug for the treatment of CD.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Alkaloid Extract of Citrus aurantium Leaves

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activities of Alkaloid Extract of Citrus aurantium Leaves

"Extraction of Polyphenols and Alkaloids from the Lebanese Anacyclus Nigellifolus Boiss and In vitro Evaluation of their Biological Properties"

"Extraction of Polyphenols and Alkaloids from the Lebanese Anacyclus Nigellifolus Boiss and In vitro Evaluation of their Biological Properties"

African Jointfir (Gnetum africanum) and Editan (Lasianthera africana) leaf alkaloid extracts exert antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities in fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster).

African Jointfir (Gnetum africanum) and Editan (Lasianthera africana) leaves are two leafy green veggies with several nutritional and medicinal properties. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a form of neurodegeneration that is believed to cause dementia in affected individuals. The quest for alternative treatments has necessitated the exploitation of plants' secondary metabolites. Plant alkaloids have recently demonstrated relevance in the management of a variety of neurodegenerative disorders; although there is limited information on the neuroprotective properties of alkaloids from various tropical green leafy vegetables with neuroprotective potentials. As a result, this study examined the cholinesterase inhibitory activity and antioxidant potential of alkaloid extracts from the leaves of African Jointfir (G.africanum) and Editan (L.africana). Standard solvent extraction techniques were used to prepare alkaloid extracts. After that, these extracts were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography. In vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibition assay for the extracts was also carried out. Subsequently, the alkaloid extracts were included in the diets of these flies (2 and 10μg/g) for 7 days. Thereafter, treated fly homogenates were assayed for cholinesterase, monoamine oxidase, and antioxidant enzymes (specifically, glutathione-S-transferase catalase, and superoxide dismutase) activities, in addition, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, reactive oxygen species, and total thiol contents. The extracts showed considerable anticholinesterase, antioxidant, and antimonoamine oxidase capabilities, according to the study's findings. Also, HPLC characterization revealed that desulphosinigrin (597,000 ng/100 g) and atropine (44,200 ng/100 g) are the predominating phytochemicals in Editan and African Jointfir respectively. These extracts could serve as potential sources of nutraceuticals with neuroprotective properties which can be used in the treatment/management of Alzheimer's disease.

Extraction of Phytochemical Constituents from the Leaves of Vitex trifolia in the Inhibition of Lipoxygenase, Cyclooxygenase, Tyrosinase and Xanthine Oxidase

Background: Herbal medicines are often used to stimulate the immune system in an attempt to prevent disease, as well as to induce specific cures. The use of phyto medicines is becoming more scientifically based, with increasing emphasis placed on proven product safety and efficacy. Methods: In the present study, the leaves of Vitex trifolia were extracted with distilled water, 1M Na2CO3 and 70% methanol. The extracted contents were screened to identify the presence of various phytochemicals. The contents of Na2CO3 and methanol were filtered, centrifuged and the supernatant was collected. The supernatant of Na2CO3 extract was collected and the alkaloid layer was separated in a separating funnel using alcohol. The contents were analysed for thin layer chromatography and phytochemical constituents. Result: Thin layer chromatography was performed at360 nm the Rf value were 0.953, 0.230, 0.184, 0.153, 0.123 and in 240 nm Rf values 0.953, 0.338, 0.184, 0.153, 0.123 were obtained. The methanol extract was condensed at 40oC and dissolved in chloroform. Rf at 360 nm of 0.714, 0.396, 0.158 and at 240 nm with Rf values 0.714, 0.492, 0.349. The activity of extracts on Xanthine oxidase, tyrosinase and cyclooxygenase were estimated and the inhibition percentage of all the three was calculated as 59.34, 61.23, 71.02 and 51 respectively. The values obtained with flavanoid extracts for the same set of enzymes were 70.22, 81.48, 94.8 and 74.36 respectively. In this study, inhibition properties of flavanoid extracts were greater than that of alkaloid extracts.

Structural Elucidation and Cytotoxic Activity of New Monoterpenoid Indoles from Gelsemium elegans.

Two new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, gelselegandines F (1) and G (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of Gelsemium elegans. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic techniques and quantum chemical calculations. The ECD calculations were conducted at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level and NMR calculations were carried out using the Gauge-Including Atomic Orbitals (GIAO) method. Structurally, the two new compounds possessed rare, cage-like, monoterpenoid indole skeletons. All isolated compounds and the total alkaloids extract were tested for cytotoxicity against four different tumor cell lines. The total alkaloids extract of G. elegans exhibited significant antitumor activity with IC50 values ranging from 32.63 to 82.24 ug/mL. In order to discover anticancer leads from the active extraction, both new indole compounds (1-2) were then screened for cytotoxicity. Interestingly, compound 2 showed moderate cytotoxicity against K562 leukemia cells with an IC50 value of 57.02 uM.