Antiprotozoal Constituents from Miller, a Plant Used in Mexican Traditional Medicine for the Treatment of Diarrhea and Dysentery.

BACKGROUND

Miller (Annonaceae) is a medicinal plant frequently recommended in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea and dysentery.

OBJECTIVE

This work was undertaken to obtain information that support the traditional use of , on pharmacological basis using and computational experiments.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanol extract of the leaves of afforded five phenolic compounds: caffeic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, nicotinflorin, and rutin.

RESULTS

The antiprotozoal assay showed that kaempferol was the most potent antiamoebic and antigiardial compound with IC values of 7.9 μg/mL for and 8.7 μg/mL for . Computational molecular docking study showed that kaempferol interacted in a region different than metronidazole in the enzyme pyruvate: ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR).

CONCLUSION

Considering that PFOR is a target of metronidazole; kaempferol may be a lead compound for the development of novel antiprotozoal agent. Also, these findings give support to the use of in the traditional medicine from México for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery.

SUMMARY

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanol extract of the leaves of afforded five phenolic compounds: caffeic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, nicotinflorin and rutin. The antiprotozoal assay showed that kaempferol was the most potent antiamoebic and antigiardial compound with IC50 values of 7.9 μg/mL for and 8.7 μg/mL for . Computational molecular docking study showed that kaempferol interacted in a region different that metronidazole in the enzyme pyruvate: ferredoxin oxidoreductase. PFOR:Pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase, , .