First identification of natural products from the African medicinal plant Zamioculcas zamiifolia — A drought resistant survivor through millions of years

Abstract

Zamioculcas zamiifolia, an unusually drought resistant medicinal plant native to tropical east Africa and subtropical southeast Africa, including the countries Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South-Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, is described as a living fossil which may have evolved as early as 42 million years ago. It belongs to the notoriously toxic family Araceae giving it, through association, a reputation for being toxic; despite little or no systematic evidence exists to support this claim. As an ancient plant it has sustained substantial climate changes and attacks from millions of generations of pathogenic microorganisms, which encouraged search for novel natural products from this source. Seven natural products have been characterized from leaves and petioles of Z. zamiifolia, including the novel main compound of the leaves, apigenin 6-C-(6″-(3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaroyl)-ß-glucopyranoside). The structure determinations were based on extensive use of 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Initial toxicological experiment on extracts from Z. zamiifolia using brine shrimp lethality assay did not indicate lethality to the shrimps providing disproving evidence for the assumption of Z. zamiifolia's toxic character.

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, ANTIOXIDANT, AND CYTOTOXICITY OF Zamioculcas zamiifolia ROOT EXTRACT

“…The SI values for each extract toward each cancer cell line were less than three, except for chloroform extract toward T47D cell line (Table 3). Previous study, the leaf extract of Z. zamiifolia and its isolated compounds were not toxic against brine shrimp Artemia salina [5] . Based on these results, it can be suggested that Z. zamiifolia is safe to be utilized as an ornamental plant.…”

“…It seems that polyphenolics and flavonoids are the main compounds in semipolar and polar extracts. Previously, some flavonoids and polyphenolics were isolated from the extract of Z. zamiifolia leaves [5] . Thus, the similar compounds might be found from the roots of Z. zamiifolia.…”

“…Malawian people use the leaves of Z. zamiifolia as earache on children, meanwhile the roots are used for treating gastric problems by Sukuma people in Tanzania. Previously, the research group of Le Moullec (2015) reported that the leaf extract of Z.zamiifolia did not show cytotoxicity against Artemia salina, using brine shrimp lethality (BSL) method [5] . This latest result dissmissed the assumption of the toxicity of Z.zamiifolia leaves.…”

Identification of C‐glycosyl flavones and quality assessment inDendrobium nobile

“…benzoic, gallic, p ‐coumaric, ferulic, hydroxyferulic, sinapic) acid groups 5,6 . Flavones (O‐linked) acylated by 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl (HMG) have been reported from several families, 7 and HMG‐glycosyl flavones (C‐linked) have been reported in the Poaceae 8 , Leguminosae 9,10 and Araceae families 11 . However, HMG‐diglycosyl species (C‐linked) have rarely been reported, with the first report of vicenin‐II acylated by HMG being in 2014 from a TCM formula called Gui‐Zhi‐Tang 12 .…”

Soft rot on the stems of Zamioculcas zamiifolia caused by Sclerotium rolfsii

“…Zamioculcas zamiifolia, of African origin, is widely used in landscape projects. This herbaceous plant from tropical regions belongs to the family Araceae, and grows to a height of 45-60 cm (Moullec et al, 2015). One of the main characteristics that has attracted the attention of producers is its good adaptability to low-light environments, in addition to exhibiting durability and tolerance to transport (Khaksar et al, 2017).…”