Three anti-inflammatory stigmastane steroids from Alchornea floribunda leaves

• Published in: Planta Medica
• Main Authors: Okoye, FBC, Osadebe, PO, Esimone, CO, Proksch, P, Nworu, CS
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: 04.08.2008
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084177
• ISSN: 0032-0943

The anti-inflammatory activity of Alchornea cordifolia has been reported in previous studies [1,2,3]. In the present study, bioactivity – guided fractionation led to the isolation of three stigmastane steroids from Alchornea floribunda leaves. The anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds were evaluated using in vitro and in vivo animal models. The compounds, 1 , 2 and 3 at 5mg/ear inhibited xylene – induced ear edema in mice, with edema inhibitions of 59.9, 51.5 and 51.54% respectively. At 20mg/kg (ip), all the compounds significantly (p<0.05) inhibited acute inflammation induced by subplanta injection of undiluted egg albumen in rats' paw. Compound 1 exhibited a higher anti-inflammatory effect (% edema inhibition=50. 0) than prednisolone (% edema inhibition=48.0) at 3h. 1 and 3 at concentrations of 50 and 100µg/ml significantly (p<0.05) stabilized heat-induced haemolysis of human erythrocytes in vitro , but have no effect on hypotonicity-induced haemolysis. Spectral analysis elucidated the compounds as stigmastane –3, 6– dione ( 1 ), stigmastane –22– ene –3, 6– dione ( 2 ) and 3– hydroxystigmastane –22– ene ( 3 ). These compounds may, in part, account for the anti-inflammatory effect of Alchornea floribunda leaves. This is the first report on the isolation and structure elucidation of anti-inflammatory steroids from Alchornea floribunda leaves. Acknowledgements: Institute of Anorganic Chemistry and Structure Chemistry, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Germany. DrRuAngelie Edrada-Ebel Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences University of Strathclyde Glasgow, Scotland. References: 1. Osadebe, PO., Okoye, FBC. (2003)J Ethnopharmacol 89:19–24. 2. Manga et al. (2004). J Ethnopharmacol 92:209–214. 3. Osadebe et al. (2008). RPMP 22:589–595.