Isolation of leishmanicidal triterpenes and lignans from the Amazonian lianaDoliocarpus dentatus (dilleniaceae)

Abstract

The in vitro antileishmanial activity of triterpenes and lignans of an Amazonian medicinal plant, Doliocarpus dentatus (Aublet) Standley, is reported for the first time against amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis. Terpenes, for example, betulinic acid, betulin and betulinaldehyde were isolated by bioassay-linked extraction. The lignans were characterized as (+) pinoresinol, (+) medioresinol and (−) lirioresinol B.