Antiplasmodial and antitrypanosomal activity of Triclisia sacleuxii (Pierre) Diels

The antiplasmodial and antitrypanosomal activities of Triclisia sacleuxii (Pierre) Diels were investigated on three Plasmodium falciparum strains [FcB1, 3D7 (chloroquine – sensitive) and W2 (chloroquine – resistant) strains] and on Trypanosoma brucei Tbsf 221. Roots, stems and leaves ethanolic extracts as well as crude tertiary and quaternary alkaloids fractions were considered.
Whereas the ethanolic extracts and quaternary crude alkaloids fractions exhibited no significant activity, the roots and stems tertiary alkaloid fractions revealed interesting growth inhibition against the Plasmodium FcB1 and Trypanosoma Tbsf 221 strains. The IC50 were 1.04 and 0.89 g/ml (roots), 2.50 and 0.91 g/ml (stems), respectively. The leaves tertiary alkaloids fraction also showed a promising antitrypanosomal activity (IC50 : 1.85 g/ml).
Phytochemical analysis of the roots tertiary alkaloids fraction yielded four major compounds, phaeanthine, N-methylapateline, 1,2-dehydroapateline and 1,2-dehydrotelobine, which were identified on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The four compounds displayed (in vitro) antitrypanosomal activity with IC50 of 2.68, 1.19, 1.06 and 1.11 µM, respectively. They also demonstrated antiplasmodial activity on Plasmodium falciparum 3D7, with IC50 of 1.72, 0.93, 1.39 and 12.4 µM respectively and on the chloroquine – resistant W2 with IC50 of 0.35, 1.10, 1.63, 1.52 µM.