Planta Med 2011; 77 - PG60
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1282544

Isolation and structural elucidation of coumarins from Micromelum falcatum (Rutaceae)

E Danika 1, E Kouloura 1, K Sothea 2, M Halabalaki 1, AL Skaltsounis 1
  • 1Laboratory of Pharmacognosy & Natural Products Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Panepistimioupoli, Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
  • 2Joint Laboratory of Phytochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Health Sciences 73, Bd Monivong, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Micromelum falcatum Tanaka (Rutaceae) is a small tree growing in Southeastern Asia [1] showing protective and therapeutic effects against cold and rheumatoid arthritis according to the traditional medicine of China [2]. The leaves of the plant, collected in Cambodia, after drying and pulverization (20gr) were extracted successively with CH2Cl2 (200ml x 3), MeOH (200ml x 3) and H2O (200ml x 3). In parallel, a protocol using NH3 and extraction (150gr) with EtOAc and MeOH was followed for focused isolation of alkaloids [3]. All the resulted extracts were evaluated qualitatively using a novel HPLC-DAD method. The analytical profiling revealed the presence of coumarins as the major class of constituents in both CH2Cl2 and EtOAc extracts before and after the alkalization. The HPLC-DAD method was transferred to semi-preparative scale and was used for the isolation of the detected coumarins. Nine known and two new coumarins, microfalcrin (1) and microcoumaririn (2) were isolated. Three among them, micromarin A, B and C were isolated for the first time from Micromelum falcatum. The identification of the isolated compounds was performed by HRMS and NMR (1 &2D) spectroscopy.

Figure 1: Microcoumaririn

Figure 2: Microfalcrin

References: 1. Perry LM (1980) In Medicinal Plants of East and Southeast Asia. MIT Press. Cambridge.

2. Kham L (2004) Medicinal Plants of Cambodia, Bendigo Scientific Press.

3. Pusset J et al. (1991) Planta Med 57: 153–155.