TITLE:
Extraction, Purification, Anticancer Activity Studies of Triacanthine Isolated from Bridelia duvigneaudii J. Léonard (Phyllanthaceae)
AUTHORS:
Kitambala Marsi Mbayo, Topwe Milongwe Mwene-Mbeja, Kalonji Serge Mbuyi, Muya Richard Kalunga, Ilunga Evodie Numbi, Maseho Faustin Mwamba, Nonga Welcome Muyumba, Mutombo Emery Kalonda, Byanga Joseph Kahumba, Jenny Roy, Donald Poirier, Simbi Jean Baptiste Lumbu
KEYWORDS:
Bridelia duvigneaudii, Phyllanthaceae, Alkaloids, Triacanthine, Prostate Cancer, Leukemia
JOURNAL NAME:
Green and Sustainable Chemistry,
Vol.15 No.3,
July
23,
2025
ABSTRACT: Objective: The main objective of this study was to isolate alkaloids from Bridelia duvigneaudii leaves and to evaluate their cytotoxic activity on prostate and leukemia cancer cells in order to discover potential natural anticancer products. Methodology: Alkaloids were extracted by organic solvents from the basified aqueous phase containing plant extracts and then purified by open column chromatography. The compounds were characterized by direct interpretation of their spectral (IR, 1D NMR, 2D NMR and MS) data and by comparison of their physico-chemical data with the literature. Antiproliferative assays were performed on two cancer cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) methodology. Results: A total of 1.018 g of alkaloids was obtained from 2528 g of B. duvigneaudii leaves (0.04% of plant material). The chromatographic purification process gave three purified products, which were positive to Dragendorff’s reagent: BRD4 (269 mg, 0.011%, Rf 0.3), BRD5 (165 mg, 0.006%, Rf 0.2) and BRD10 (584 mg, 0.023%, Rf 0.22). These three products exhibited cytotoxic activity against prostate cancer LAPC-4 cells with IC50 values of 17.5 ± 0.50 μg/mL for BRD10, 19.2 ± 0.41 μg/mL for BRD5 and 22.3 ± 0.04 μg/mL for BRD4 and against leukemia HL-60 cells with IC50 values ranging between 22.5 ± 0.17 and 24.3 ± 0.20 μg/mL while the positive control (6.5 μg/mL RM-581) had got an IC50 value of 0.33 ± 1.52 μg/mL on LAPC-4 cells and 1.45 ± 1.52 μg/mL on HL-60 cells. The anticancer activity was highest at 100 µg/mL of each purified product and was decreased significantly (p 10H13N5 carrying a dimethylallyl group in position N3. Conclusion: This study showed that triacanthine is an alkaloid of B. duvigneaudii possessing an antiproliferative activity on LAPC-4 and HL-60 cancer cell lines.