Another anticancer elemanolide from <i>Vernonia amygdalina</i> Del

Abstract

A number of antitumor and other bioactive compounds were previously isolated from Vernonia amygdalina Del. This study was designed to further isolate and characterize compounds of medicinal value that may also have antitumor activity from this edible and commonly available plant. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the leaf extract of V. amygdalina (MEVA) led to the isolation and characterization of a known compound, epivernodalol for the first time in this plant. Its structure was identified by spectroscopic methods including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, MS, UV and IR spectra. In vitro growth inhibitory and cytotoxic evaluation of MEVA, its fractions and epivernodalol against HT-144 (skin melanoma) cell line was carried out by the Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The results showed that epivernodalol and the dichloromethane fraction of V. amygdalina were active against HT-144 (skin melanoma) cell line. Vernonia amygdalina Del. leaf extract yielded another cytotoxic which was active against skin cancer.© 2010 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Epivernodalol, fractionation, characterization, sesquiterpenes, spectroscopy, melanoma