Abstract:
The Annonaceae family has been reported as having many compounds that
have shown significant against tumor cell lines and anti-parasitic properties. The purpose of
this study was to investigate the chemical constituents of Melodorum siamensis Scheff. and
Annona squamosa L., two plants from this family, by isolating and purifying compounds.
There compounds were tested their anti-carcinogenic and anti-parasitic properties.
Phytochemical study of the hexane extract of M. siamensis stem led to the isolation of two
new compounds, 3-hydroxy-3-methoxy-1-phenyl-2- (3′, 4′, 5′- trimethoxy- phenyl)- propenone
and 3-hydroxy-3-methoxy-1-phenyl-2- (2′, 3′, 4′- trimethoxy- phenyl)- propenone. Using gas
chromatography, several fatty acids, i.e. oleic acid, palmitic acid, capric acid, linoleic acid
and stearidonic acid were identified. Phytochemical study of the seed of A. squamosa L.,
non polar part extracted with hexane, afforded fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid,
palmitic acid and steric acid and triglyceride with one oleate ester. The structure elucidations
of these compounds were based on various spectroscopic techniques (IR, MS and NMR)
and by comparison with the reported data. The isolated compounds were subjected to
biological properties evaluation. It was found that the two new compounds from M.
siamensis showed no anti-carcinogenic properties against human breast ductol carcinoma
(BT474), human differentiated lung carcinoma (Chago), human hepatocarcinoma (Hep-G2),
human gastric carcinoma (Kato-3) or human colon adenocarcinoma (SW620) cell cultures.
However triglyceride with one oleate ester isolated from A. squamosa seed showed high in
vitro antiparasitic activity against head lice. The compound was used as a marker for quality
control of anti-head lice Annona cream preparations. The stability of A. squamosa cream
preparation for anti-head lice was studied by TLC-densitometric method. A method to
determine the active compound content was developed and validated. This study offered
phytochemical information of the stem of M. siamensis which has not been reported
previously and of the active anti-head lice component of A. squamosa seeds.