| Summary: | Three known (1-3) and a novel (4) monoterpene indole alkaloids have been isolated from the methanol extract of leaves of Tabernaemontana elegans and their structures were elucidated by a series of spectroscopic experiments, involving NMR, MS, UV, and IR techniques. The isolated monoterpene indole alkaloids along with previously described beta-carbolines (5-7) from the same specimen were studied for their apoptosis induction activity in human hepatoma HuH-7 cells. Methodology for apoptosis induction studies included cell viability assays, nuclear morphology assessments, and general caspase-3-like activity assays. The monoterpene indole alkaloids, tabernaemontanine (1) and vobasine (3) showed the most promising apoptosis induction pro. le in HuH-7 cells. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.. - FCT, Portugal [BPD/30492/2006]. - This study was supported by a fellowship from FCT, Portugal reference number BPD/30492/2006). The authors wish to thank Dr. Teresa Vasconcelos of Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal for the taxonomic work on the plant material and also Dr. Catarina Arruda and Dr. Guedes de Sousa, from the Portuguese Embassy in Mozambique, as well as the Portuguese Of. ce of International Affairs for plant transport.
|
|---|