A Contribution to the Phytochemistry ofZanthoxylum tessmannii¹

Abstract

Root bark extracts of ZANTHOXYLUM TESSMANNII (Engl.) Ayafor COMB. NOV. (Syn. FAGARA TESSMANNII Engl.) yielded, besides chelerythrine, dihydrochelerythrine, fagaramide and lupeol previously reported from this taxon, ten other compounds viz:nitidine, dihydronitidine, 9-methoxychelerthrine, gamma-fagarine, skimmianine, arctigenin methylether, savinin and a mixture of campesterol, beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol. The implications of the present results for the taxonomic position of ZANTHOXYLUM TESSMANNII is discussed.

Effect of the ethanolic extract from Fagara tessmannii on testicular function, sex reproductive organs and hormone level in adult male rats

“…Aerials parts and roots of this tree are used in folk medicine for the treatment of infertility, uterine leiomioma and sexual weakness. Among different secondary metabolites (Ayofor et al. , 1984), F. tessmannii extract presented triterpenes (Mbaze Meva’a et al.…”

Plants in the management of male infertility

“…It is believed that the combination of L. meyenii (black maca) with F. tessmannii improves gonadal activities of rats only at higher doses of F. tessmannii irrespective of whether F. tessmannii was administered alone (Lembe et al, ) or in combination with L. meyenii (Lembe et al, ). This information appears to contradict the traditional belief that F. tessmannii is used for infertility treatment (Ayofor et al, ), except if doses of the alcohol extract up to 1 g/kg body wt. were used in folk medicine, which is currently not the case.…”

“…It grows mostly in the African rainforests found in South-West, Centre, South and East provinces of Cameroon (Mbaze et al, 2007;Tankeo et al, 2015). The roots and aerial parts of the plant are used in folk medicine to treat infertility and sexual weakness (Ayofor, Ngadjui, Sondengam, & Tsamo, 1984).…”

α-Glucosidase inhibitory pentacyclic triterpenes from the stem bark of Fagara tessmannii (Rutaceae)

“…Fraction B (7.0 g) was chromatographed on silica gel and eluted using hexane/ethyl acetate (7:3) to deliver betulinic acid (17.0 mg), 3b-acetoxy-16b-hydroxybetulinic acid 3a (11.0 mg), 3b,16b-diacetoxybetulinic acid 3b (4.0 mg), arctigenin methylether (6.0 mg) and sesamin (5.0 mg) (Ayafor et al, 1984).…”

“…The root bark of this plant is used in West Africa in traditional medicine as a toothbrush (Kerharo and Adam, 1971). Previous phytochemical studies of F. tessmannii collected at three different localities in Cameroon resulted in the isolation of alkaloids, lignans, triterpenes and steroids (Ayafor et al, 1984). The widespread use of F. tessmannii in indigenous medicine for different ailments, as well as the antifungal and antioxidant activities exhibited by the genus (Chaaib et al, 2003), justified further attempts to isolate and identify active compounds.…”