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Planta Med 1997; 63(6): 554-555
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957764
Letters

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Antiplasmodial Triterpene from Vernonia brasiliana

Tânia Maria de Almeida Alves1 , Tanus Jorge Nagem2 , Luzia Helena de Carvalho3 , Antoniana Ursini Krettli3 , Carlos Leomar Zani1
  • 1Lab. de Química de Produtos Naturais, Centra de Pesquisas “René Rachou”, FIOCRUZ, Cx. Postal 1743, CEP 30190.002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
  • 2Departamento de Química, ICEx, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
  • 3Lab. de Malária, Centra des Pesquisas “René Rachou”, FIOCRUZ, Cx, Postal 1743, CEP 30190.002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Further Information

Publication History

1997

1997

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

The hexane extract from leaves of Vernonia brasiliana (L.) Druce (Compositae) was active in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum and in vivo in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. This extract was subjected to a bioassay-guided fractionation protocol based on the in vitro model. Lupeol was identified as a compound responsible for the activity, inhibiting the P. falciparum growth by 45% when tested at 25 µg/ml. However, this triterpene was inactive in vivo when 15 mg/kg were administered per os during four consecutive days to mice infected with P. berghei. β-Amyrin and germanicol, isolated from the same fraction that yielded lupeol, were inactive in the in vitro assay.

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