1.Chemical composition and in vitro antitrypanosomal activity of fractions of essential oil from Cymbopogon nardus L.
Muhd Haffiz, J. ; Norhayati, I. ; Getha, K ; Nor Azah, M.A. ; Mohd Ilham, A. ; Lili Sahira, H. ; Roshan Jahn, M.S. ; Muhd Syamil, A.
Tropical Biomedicine 2013;30(1):9-14
Essential oil from Cymbopogon nardus was evaluated for activity against
Trypanosoma brucei brucei BS221 (IC50 = 0.31 ± 0.03 μg/mL) and cytotoxic effect on normal
kidney (Vero) cells (IC50 = >100 μg/mL). The crude essential oil was subjected to various
chromatography techniques afforded active sub fractions with antitrypanosomal activity; F4
(IC50 = 0.61 ± 0.06 μg/mL), F6 (IC50= 0.73 ± 0.33 μg/mL), F7 (IC50 = 1.15 ± 0 μg/mL) and F8
(IC50 = 1.11 ± 0.01 μg/mL). These active fractions did not exhibit any toxic effects against
Vero cell lines and the chemical profiles investigation indicated presence of α-and γ-eudesmol,
elemol, α-cadinol and eugenol by GC/MS analysis.
2.Evaluation of antitrypanosomal properties and apoptotic effects of ochrolifuanine from Dyera costulata (Miq.) Hook.f against Trypanosoma brucei brucei
Norhayati, I. ; Nurhayati, Z.A. ; Getha, K. ; Muhd Haffiz, J. ; Adiratna, M.R.
Tropical Biomedicine 2022;39(No.3):321-327
Trypanosoma brucei parasites are flagellated kinetoplastid protozoan which is responsible for Human
African Trypanosomiasis (HAT). Current chemotherapy drugs have a number of side effects and drug
resistance has emerged as a major issue in current treatment. Active bisindole alkaloid compound
ochrolifuanine was previously isolated from the leaves of Dyera costulata. In vitro antitrypanosomal
activity of ochrolifuanine against Trypanosoma brucei brucei strain BS221 showed strong activity with
an IC50 value of 0.05 ± 0.01 µg/ml. We compared the effect of ochrolifuanine and reference compound
staurosporine in T. b. brucei apoptosis. The apoptosis-inducing activity of ochrolifuanine was evaluated
using TUNEL assay and cell cycle analysis. Trypanosoma brucei brucei was shown to undergo apoptotic
cells death as demonstrated by the appearance of several conical hallmarks of apoptosis. Ochrolifuanine
was found to induce apoptosis in parasites in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The cell cycle study
revealed 0.025 and 0.05 µg/ml of ochrolifuanine arrested the growth of T. b. brucei at two different
growth phases (G0/G1 and in S phases). While at concentration 0.10 µg/ml arrested at the G2/M phase.
In conclusion, the results indicate that ochrolifuanine displayed an antitrypanosomal effect on T. b. brucei
by inducing apoptosis cell death and causing the arrest of parasite cells at different growth phases. The
results suggested that ochrolifuanine may be a promising lead compound for the development of new
chemotherapies for African trypanosomiasis.