A Novel Insect Antifeedant Nonprotein Amino Acid from Calotropis gigantea

Abstract

Giganticine (1), a novel nonprotein amino acid, has been isolated from a methanol extract of the root bark of Calotropis gigantea and its structure established by spectroscopic methods. It exhibited a significant antifeedant activity against nymphs of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria.

Improved cardenolide production in Calotropis gigantea hairy roots using mechanical wounding and elicitation

“…Calotropis gigantea is a species of flowering plants within the Asclepiadaceae family and is distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia (Pari et al 1998). Extensive phytochemical analysis of C. gigantea has discovered more than 15 types of cardenolides in roots and leaves (Kiuchi et al 1998;Seeka and Sutthivaiyakit 2010).…”

Calotropis gigantiea (L.) R. Br (Apocynaceae): A phytochemical and pharmacological review

“…The compounds were proven for the cytotoxic activity when tested on KB, BC and NCI-H187 cancer cell lines and activity was proved due to the presence of deoxy sugar at C-3, a formyl group at C-10 and an α, β-unsaturated γ-lactone (Lhinhatrakool and Sutthivaiyakit., 2006). Pari et al (1998) isolated a non-protein amino acid Giganticine (11) from the methanolic extract of the root bark and (11) showed positive anti-feedant activity against nymphs of desert locust, Schistocera gregaria. From the ethanolic root extract of Cg, Calotropone (12) along with known cardiac glycoside and Gofruside (13) were isolated and significant activity was observed against K562 and SGC-7901 cancer cell lines (Wang et al, 2008).…”

In Vitro Anti-Influenza Virus Activities of a New Lignan Glycoside from the Latex of Calotropis gigantea

“…The barks of this plant are used traditionally in Chinese folk medicine for the treatments of neurodermatitis and syphilis while the leaves are used as a poultice [10]. The latex of this plant has been used as an insecticidal agent [11], and as a purgative and a local irritant in indigenous medicine in India [12]. A fascinating series of bioactive secondary metabolites, e.g., cardiotonic steroids, triterpene alcohols, alkaloids and flavonoids have been isolated from different parts of Calotropis plants and showed various pharmacological properties such as analgesic, hepatoprotective, sedative, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, anti-asthmatic and anticancer activities [12]–[15].…”

“…The latex of this plant has been used as an insecticidal agent [11], and as a purgative and a local irritant in indigenous medicine in India [12]. A fascinating series of bioactive secondary metabolites, e.g., cardiotonic steroids, triterpene alcohols, alkaloids and flavonoids have been isolated from different parts of Calotropis plants and showed various pharmacological properties such as analgesic, hepatoprotective, sedative, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, anti-asthmatic and anticancer activities [12]–[15]. In the present study, we successfully isolated a new lignan glycoside ( 1 ), together with two known phenolic compounds ( 2 and 3 ) from the latex of C. gigantea for the first time, and reported their in vitro anti-influenza virus activities and mechanism herein.…”