Alain François Kamdem Waffo

A furanoid limonoid, anthothecol (1), was isolated from Khaya grandifoliola(Welw.) C.DC., along with seven known compounds. Their structures were confirmed by NMR spectroscopic comparison with literature data. This study provides a definitive structural revision of anthothecol and integrates crystallographic data with DFT calculations, drug-likeness profiling, and target-based in silico studies. While the inhibitory effect of anthothecol on MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation has been previously reported, this work complements prior findings by providing the first X-ray crystal structure, absolute configuration assignment, and target-based in silico studies. Anthothecol demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC50 = 8.1 µM). Its favorable ADMET profile and stable binding mode to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), revealed by molecular docking and dynamics, suggest a potential mechanistic pathway for its activity. The integration of crystallographic, computational, and biological data establishes anthothecol as a promising limonoid scaffold for further research as an anticancer agent.

A furanoid limonoid, anthothecol (1), was isolated from Khaya grandifoliola(Welw.) C.DC., along with seven known compounds. Their structures were confirmed by NMR spectroscopic comparison with literature data. This study provides a definitive structural revision of anthothecol and integrates crystallographic data with DFT calculations, drug-likeness profiling, and target-based in silico studies. While the inhibitory effect of anthothecol on MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation has been previously reported, this work complements prior findings by providing the first X-ray crystal structure, absolute configuration assignment, and target-based in silico studies. Anthothecol demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC50 = 8.1 µM). Its favorable ADMET profile and stable binding mode to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), revealed by molecular docking and dynamics, suggest a potential mechanistic pathway for its activity. The integration of crystallographic, computational, and biological data establishes anthothecol as a promising limonoid scaffold for further research as an anticancer agent.

A furanoid limonoid, anthothecol (1), was isolated from Khaya grandifoliola(Welw.) C.DC., along with seven known compounds. Their structures were confirmed by NMR spectroscopic comparison with literature data. This study provides the first complete structural and pharmacological characterization of anthothecol. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction definitively established its absolute configuration, correcting prior ambiguities and enabling accurate computational modeling. For the first time, crystallographic data are integrated with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, drug-likeness profiling, and target-based in silico studies. Anthothecol demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC50 = 8.1 µM). Its favorable ADMET profile and stable binding mode to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), revealed by molecular docking and dynamics, suggest a potential mechanistic pathway for its activity. The integration of crystallographic, computational, and biological data establishes anthothecol as a promising limonoid scaffold for further research as an anticancer agent.

Our search for antimicrobial and cytotoxic leads from Ficus sycomorus led to the isolation of twenty-four known compounds (1‒24) from its methanolic stem bark and root extracts. The structures of all the isolated compounds were established using their 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic data while the crude extracts, some fractions and compounds were tested for their antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxicity activities. In the antimicrobial assay, compound 18 displayed good to moderate activity with MIC values of 31.25 µg/ml against Escherichia coli, 125 µg/ml against Salmonella typhimurium cpc and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while compounds 10, 13 and 14 demonstrated moderate activities on almost all the tested strains, with the highest potency observed for compound 13 on E. coli (MIC = 125 µg/ml). However, although compounds 18 and 19 gave a significant inhibition of the VERO cell line ATCC CRT-1586 with CC50 values of 52.60 µg/ml and 69.10 µg/ml, respectively, all the extract samples and other tested compounds did not show distinguishable cytotoxicity. Finally, the chemophenetic significance of the isolated compounds is discussed.

Thirteen compounds (1‒13) were isolated and identified during phytochemical analysis of the leaves and stem bark of Guibourtia ehie (A. Chev) J. Leonard. Spectroscopic and spectrometric methods and the comparison of their results with those given in the literature were used to ascertain their structures. Furthermore, the acetylation of 3,3′-di-O-methylellagic acid 4′-O-β-D-xylopyranoside (2) afforded a new derivative 3,3′-di-O-methylellagic acid 4′-O-β-D-(4,2′′,4′′-triacetyl)-xylopyranoside (2a). Extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds were assessed for their antioxidant, urease, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Compound 1 demonstrated potent antioxidant activity in the DPPH with an IC50 value of 36.4 ± 0.2 µM, while rhaponticin (3), 2,6-dimethoxybenzoquinone (4), and taraxerol (6) exhibited a strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with the IC50 values of 35.5 ± 0.1, 25.5 ± 0.2 and 43.4 ± 0.3 µM, respectively. The present study enriches the chemistry of Guiboutia ehie and provides further evidence on its bioactive constituents, which might help in the development of hypoglycaemic drugs.