Cytotoxic coumarins from Toddalia asiatica.

Area of Science:

• Natural Products Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Toddalia asiatica is a plant species known for its traditional medicinal uses.
• The chemical constituents of T. asiatica have not been fully elucidated, particularly regarding their biological activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and identify chemical compounds from the stem bark of Toddalia asiatica.
• To evaluate the cytotoxic, antimalarial, and antituberculosis activities of the isolated compounds.

Main Methods:

• Phytochemical investigation of Toddalia asiatica stem bark using chromatographic techniques.
• In vitro assays to determine cytotoxicity against NCI-H187, MCF-7, and KB cell lines.
• Evaluation of antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum.
• Assessment of antituberculosis activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Main Results:

• Three new coumarins and 13 known compounds were isolated.
• Compounds 1, 3, 8, and 9 demonstrated significant cytotoxicity against NCI-H187 cells (IC50: 6–9 µg/mL).
• Compounds 4 and 9 showed cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells (IC50: 3.17–9.79 µg/mL), and compound 9 against KB cells (IC50: 8.63 µg/mL).
• Compound 14 exhibited antimalarial activity (IC50: 3.66 µg/mL), and compounds 5, 9, and 16 showed antituberculosis activity (MIC: 25–50 µg/mL).

Conclusions:

• The study successfully isolated and characterized novel and known compounds from Toddalia asiatica.
• Several isolated compounds possess promising cytotoxic, antimalarial, and antituberculosis properties.
• These findings support the ethnobotanical uses of Toddalia asiatica and warrant further investigation for drug development.