Growth Inhibition of Asexual Erythrocytic Forms of Plasmodium falciparum and P. berghei in vitro by Naphthylisoquinoline Alkaloid-Containing Extracts of Ancistrocladus and Triphyophyllum Species

Abstract

Naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid-containing extracts [1-20] of four species of the genus Ancistrocladus (A. barteri, A. heyneanus, A. robertsoniorum, and A. tectorius) and of Triphyophyllum peltatum have been examined for their antiplasmodial activity against asexual erythrocytic forms of Plasmodium falciparum (NF 54, clone A1A9) and P. berghei (Anka) in vitro. Incorporation of 3 H-hypoxanthine was measured in the presence of the test substances. The above mentioned plant species are used in several countries of the pantropical area against fevers and malaria. Five of the examined extracts displayed high growth inhibiting activity in the P. falciparum system: CH 2 Cl 2 /NH 3 bark extract of T. peltatum [20], EtOH leaf extract of A. barteri [4], CH 2 Cl 2 leaf [14] and CH 2 Cl 2 /NH 3 bark [15] extracts of A. tectorius, and CH 2 Cl 2 leaf [17] extract of T. peltatum). These extracts (IC 50 < 1 µg/ml) [4, 14, 15, 17, and 20] were further examined in the P. berghei system. Two of them (the CH 2 Cl 2 /NH 3 bark extracts of A. tectorius [15] and T. peltatum [20]) were proven to be highly active in both test systems. These findings confirm that extracts of species belonging to the Ancistrocladaceae and the Dioncophyllaceae have a considerable antiplasmodial capacity.

Ancistrocladus tectorius Extract Inhibits Obesity by Promoting Thermogenesis and Mitochondrial Dynamics in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice

“…AT extract has been traditionally used to treat malaria and dysentery and to improve blood circulation [12][13][14]. In addition to these functions, some studies have reported biological activities such as antiplasmodial [17,18], antiparasitic [13], antiviral [15], and antibacterial [18] activities for AT. In this study, the anti-obesity effect of 70% EtOH extract from the aerial parts of AT, mainly the leaves and stems, and its molecular mechanisms were investigated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HFD-fed C57BL/6J mice.…”

“…In addition, AT root extract has been shown to have antiviral and antitumor activity [15,16] and to improve blood circulation [13]. Naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids with antiplasmodial activity have been isolated from AT stems and twigs [17,18]. In addition, other biological effects of AT leaf, bark, and root extracts have been investigated, including antibacterial [19], antifungal [19], antiparasitic [13], and antispasmodic [12] activities.…”

Differential sensitivity of erythrocytic stages of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi to dioncophylline B, a highly active naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid

“…Such extracts, naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids derived thereof, and synthetic related alkaloids are biologically very active (Bringmann and Pokorny 1995). Most remarkable are their in vitro activities against asexual erythrocytic stages of P. falciparum and P. berghei (Boyd et al 1995;Bringmann et al 1996a, b, c;FrancË ois et al 1994aFrancË ois et al , b, 1995FrancË ois et al , 1996FrancË ois et al , 1997c and against exo-erythrocytic stages of P. berghei in human hepatoma cells (FrancË ois et al 1997a, d). Recently, their curative in vivo potential against P. berghei has been demonstrated as well (FrancË ois et al 1997b).…”