Antibacterial and cytotoxic triterpenoids from the roots of Combretum racemosum

Abstract : A new pentacyclic triterpenoid glucoside, together with fourteen known compounds, was isolated from the roots of Combretum racemosum. Combretaceae). The structure of the new compound was established as 28-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-2α,3β,21β,23-tetrahydroxyolean-18-en-28-oate (1) on the basis of detailed spectroscopic data including MS, 1D, and 2D NMR. The inhibitory activity of compounds 1–15 against promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 and human erythromyeloblastoid leukemia K562 cell lines was evaluated. Compounds 11 (3-O-β-acetyl-ursolic acid), 14 (betulinic acid), and 15 (quadranoside II) exhibited significant cytotoxicity, with IC50 values of 13 to 50 μM. Among the isolated triterpenes, compounds 1, 3 (arjungenin), 5 (terminolic acid), and 11 exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis (MICs within a range of 64 and 256 μg/mL).