Isolation, purification and partial characterization of a glycoside from the Jamaican ball moss plant (<i>Tillandsia recurvata</i> L.)

Abstract

Initial isolation and characterization screens have been carried out on the Jamaican ball moss (Tillandsia recurvata L.) plant producing a novel complex glycosidic compound. This complex glycoside may be responsible for the promising anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties of this ball moss plant. A combination of supercritical fluid processing and chromatographic purification was used to produce the isolate. LC-MS analysis showed the presence of a compound with a molecular weight of ~800 and mass spectral (MS-MS and MS-MS-MS) data indicate that this compound may be a glycoside with a molecular mass of 1601.1 Da (negative ionization mode) and possibly contain up to two sialic acids, based on the doublycharged state of the molecule at neutral pH conditions. 2D-TOCSY NMR spectrum lends evidence to the presence of at least one likely amide to aliphatic proton correlation, indicating the presence of a sialic acid moiety. The main structure of this therapeutic compound appears similar to a soyasaponin.

Cycloartanes with Anticancer Activity Demonstrate Promising inhibition of the Mrckα and Mrckβ Kinases

“…Cycloartanes are present in many plants and are known to be major constituents of the Jamaican Ball Moss (Tillandsia recurvata) and other Tillandsia species [21][22][23]. The Jamaican Ball Moss has been reported to show anticancer activity against different histogenic cancer cell lines through the induction of apoptosis, kinase inhibition and antiangiogenic activity amongst other possible mechanisms [15,24,25]. Based on the preliminary antiproliferation activity of cycloartanes isolated from the Jamaican Ball Moss and some analogs, there is therefore reasonable link the anticancer properties of the plant [24] to the presence of the cycloartanes in addition to other yet to be identified molecules in the plants.…”