Elsevier

Fitoterapia

Volume 81, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 72-74
Fitoterapia

Antidiarrhoeal activity of carbazole alkaloids from Murraya koenigii Spreng (Rutaceae) seeds

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2009.08.016Get rights and content

Abstract

The bioassay guided fractionation of the n-hexane extract of the seeds of Murraya koenigii Spreng (Rutaceae) resulted in the isolation of three bioactive carbazole alkaloids, kurryam (I), koenimbine (II) and koenine (III). The structures of the compounds were confirmed from their 1H-, 13C-, and 2D-NMR spectral data. Of the three compounds (I) and (II) exhibited significant inhibitory activity against castor oil-induced diarrhoea and PGE2-induced enteropooling in rats. The compounds also produced a significant reduction in gastrointestinal motility in the charcoal meal test in Wister rats.

Graphical abstract

The compounds isolated from Murraya koenigii exhibited significant inhibitory activity against castor oil-induced diarrhoea and PGE2-induced enterpooling in rats, these compounds also give the gastrointestinal motility test in Wister rats.

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Introduction

The plant Murraya koenigii (L) Spreng (Sanskrit name: Surabhinimba) belonging to the family Rutaceae is native to India but is now distributed in most of southern Asia. The leaves of this plant are well-known as curry leaves and have been used as one of the important herbs in South Indian food [1]. Various parts of the plant have been used in traditional or folk medicine as an antidysentric as well as an astringent [2].

Since the first report of the carbazole alkaloid, murrayanine, from the stem bark of M. koenigii [3], a number of carbazole alkaloids have been isolated from this species, possessing C13, C18 and C23 skeletons [4], [5], [6], [7]. Our bioassay directed investigations of the seeds of M. koenigii has led to the isolation of three carbazole alkaloids, Kurryam (I) [8] Koenimbine (II) and Koenine (III) [9] (Fig. 1). The activity of compounds (I) and (II) were studied on castor oil-induced diarrhoea in rat model and then compared with the standard antidiarrhoeal medicine, diphenoxylate. This is the first report of the biological activity of these carbazole alkaloids.

Section snippets

Plant material

Seeds of Murraya koenigii Spreng (Rutaceae) were collected from the Ministry of Food and Supplies, Government of India, and compared with a voucher specimen maintained in the herbarium of Calcutta University. The seeds were crushed in a mechanical grinder.

Identification of components from n-hexane fraction

The air dried seeds of M. koenigii were extracted with n-hexane in a Soxhlet apparatus for 72 h at room temperature. The total extract was concentrated and kept at room temperature. A yellowish solid (yield: 4.2%) separated out. This was

Test animals

Wister rats weighing between 150 and 200 g of either sex were used. The rats were housed in standard environmental conditions and provided with food and water ad libitum.

Castor oil-induced diarrhoea in rats

Rats of either sex were fasted for 18 h and randomly assigned to five groups with six animals in each group. The doses of koenimbine (II), selected on trial basis, were administered orally (10, 30 and 50 mg/kg suspended in 2% v/v aq. tween 80) to three groups of animals. The fourth group received 5 mg/kg of diphenoxylate orally

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the University Grant Commission, New Delhi, India (Fellowship to AN) for financial assistance. The administrative support of Dr. J. Hazra, Director (Inst.), NRIADD, Bidhannagar, Kolkata is thankfully acknowledged by S.M., S.K.B. and A.D. Thanks are also extended to Dr. R. Banerjee, Department of Pharmacology, NRIADD, Kolkata for her technical help.

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