In VitroAntimalarial Activity ofBrucea javanicaagainst Multi-Drug ResistantPlasmodium falciparum

Abstract

The medicinal plant, Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. (Simaroubaceae) was examined for antimalarial properties. Among different crude solvent extracts of the fruit, the chloroform extract was shown to have the most potent in vitro antimalarial activity. Three active compounds were isolated and purified from the chloroform extract. These compounds were confirmed as bruceine A, bruceine B hydrate and bruceine C by UV, IR, NMR and mass spectra. When tested in vitro against multi-drug resistant isolates of P. falciparum bruceine A and bruceine B hydrate were similar in activity (ID50 of 8.66 and 8.15 ng/ml) whereas bruceine C had an ID50 of 1.95 ng/ml. These compounds were comparable in in vitro activity to the new antimalarial drug, mefloquine (ID50 of 6.26 ng/ml).