Abstract:
Introduction: Plants of the genus Garcinia are traditionally used treat a
range of infectious and non-infectious diseases. Garcinia species are
reported to have been shown to have a range of biological activities
including cytotoxicity antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, antimalarial
and HIV-1 protease inhibitory activity among others. Methods: Solvent
extraction was done using CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1). Isolation was done using
column chromatography with silica gel as the stationery phase and ethyl
acetate and n-hexane used as mobile phase in increasing polarity. Thin
layer chromatography was used to monitor the isolation. Structure elucidation
was done using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopic
techniques. Chloroquine resistant (W2) and chloroquine sensitive (D6)
P. falciparum strains were used for antiplasmodial assay. Results: Further
bioassay guided fractionation of a CH2Cl2: MeOH (1:1) extract of Garcinia
buchananii led to the isolation of two already reported biflavanones, isogarcinol
(1) and guttiferone (2) with promising antiplasmodial activity against a
chloroquine resistant (W2) Plasmodium falciparum strain with an IC50 of 2.8± 0.90 μg/mL for compound 1 and IC50 of 3.94 ± 0.38 μg/mL for compound
2. Compounds 1 and 2 also exhibited moderate activity against the chloroquine
sensitive (D6) Plasmodium falciparum strain with IC50 of 7.03±0.60
and 10.64±4.50 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The results provide proof
to support the use of G. buchananii by the indigenous community for antimalarial
therapy
