1: J Nat Prod. 2007 Aug;70(8):1360-3. Epub 2007 Jul 19. Antitrypanosomal activity of triterpenoids and sterols from the leaves of Strychnos spinosa and related compounds. Hoet S, Pieters L, Muccioli GG, Habib-Jiwan JL, Opperdoes FR, Quetin-Leclercq J. Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Unité d'Analyse Chimique et Physico-Chimique des Médicaments et Pharmacognosie, Université Catholique de Louvain, UCL 72.30-CHAM, Avenue E. Mounier 72, B-1200 Bruxelles, Belgium. Fractionation of an antitrypanosomal lipophilic leaf extract from Strychnos spinosa led to the isolation of eight triterpenoids and sterols in this plant part for the first time. Two of these were found to possess in vitro antitrypanosomal activity, namely, saringosterol (14) and 24-hydroperoxy-24-vinylcholesterol (15), with IC(50) values of 7.8 +/- 1.2 and 3.2 +/- 1.2 microM, respectively. The latter compound was isolated from a plant source for the first time. A comparative study on the antitrypanosomal activity of the isolated triterpenoids and sterols and some related compounds has indicated that the presence of an oxygenated function at C-28 or an oxygenated side chain at C-17 seems to be important for the antitrypanosomal activity of triterpenoids and sterols, respectively. PMID: 17637068 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Related Links In vitro antitrypanosomal activity of ethnopharmacologically selected Beninese plants. [J Ethnopharmacol. 2004] PMID:15036465 [Study on sterols and triterpenes from the stems of Akebia quinata] [Zhong Yao Cai. 2005] PMID:16568660 Triterpenoids from Brazilian Ilex species and their in vitro antitrypanosomal activity. [J Nat Prod. 2004] PMID:15497942 Activity of extracts and naphthoquinones from Kigelia pinnata against Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. [Planta Med. 1999] PMID:10483374 Antitrypanosomal compounds from the leaf essential oil of Strychnos spinosa. [Planta Med. 2006] PMID:16557466