In vitro: |
Phytochemistry Review,2009, 8(3):601-620. | Azadirachta indica (neem): a plant of multiple biological and pharmacological activities[Reference: WebLink] | Azadirachta indica, commonly called neem or ‘dogonyaro’ in Nigeria, is a plant that has found varied use in ecological, medicinal and agricultural sectors.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
Biological and pharmacological activities attributed to different parts and extracts of these plants include antiplasmodial, antitrypanosomal, antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, larvicidal and fungicidal activities. Others include antiulcer, spermicidal, anthelminthic, antidiabetic, anti-implantation, immunomodulating, molluscicidal, nematicidal, immunocontraceptive, insecticidal, antifeedant and insect repellant effects. But toxicological activities such as allergic, genotoxic, cytogenetic and radiosensitizing effects have also been reported in humans and some economic animals, particularly, aquatic organisms, chicks and goats. Bioassay-guided studies and phytochemical analyses utilizing modern state-of-the-art techniques such as HPLC–MS, GC–MS, NMR and Infra Red spectroscopy have revealed that phytocompounds like azadirachtins, nimocinol, isomeldenin, azadirachtol (a tetranortriterpernoid), 2,3′-dehydrosalanol gedunin, nimbin, nimolicinol, Odoratone, azadironolide, isoazadironolide, naheedin and mahmoodin are responsible for the varied biological, pharmacological and toxicological properties observed.
CONCLUSIONS:
In this paper, we review how a developing country like Nigeria can harness the numerous opportunities presented by the multi-biological and multi-pharmacological nature of A. indica to solve some of her myriad problems, including those in the agricultural, health and economic sectors. | Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2003 Apr;51(4):415-7. | Tetracyclic triterpenoids from the leaves of Azadirachta indica and their insecticidal activities.[Pubmed: 12672995] | METHODS AND RESULTS:
A new tetranortriterpenoid, meliatetraolenone [24,25,26,27-tetranor-apotirucalla-(apoeupha)-6alpha-O-methyl, 7alpha-senecioyl(7-deacetyl)-11alpha,12alpha,21,23-tetrahydroxy-21,23-epoxy-2,14,20(22)-trien-1,16-dione] (1) was isolated from the methanolic extract of fresh leaves of Azadirachta indica along with the known compound Odoratone (3) which was hitherto unreported from this source. Their structures have been elucidated by spectral studies including 2D NMR.
CONCLUSIONS:
The insecticidal activities of 1 as well as those of Odoratone (3) are reported. 1 and Odoratone both showed mortality on fourth instar larvae of mosquitoes (Anopheles stephensi) with LC(50) values of 16 and 154 ppm, respectively. | Acta Botan. Sin., 2003, 45(9):1129-33. | A Novel Flavane from Carapa guianensis.[Reference: WebLink] | METHODS AND RESULTS:
Seven compounds were isolated from the EtOH extraction of the twig of Carapa guianensis Aubl. (Meliaceae). On the basis of spectroscopic methods, their structures were elucidated as (-)-epicatechin-3-O-(3" , 5"-di-O-methyl) gallate (1), (-)-catechin (2), sciadopitysin (3), cleomiscosin B (4), photogedunin (5), chisocheton compound F (6) and Odoratone (7), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS:
Among them compound 1 was a new flavane, compounds 2-7 were firstly obtained from this plant, and compound 5 was assigned the C-13-NMR data for the first time. Compound 7 exhibited strong antifeedant activity against Pieris brassicae, and compound 2 exhibited moderate activity, while the n-BuOH portion showed weak activity. |
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