Isolation and Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds from Plants

As a part of a continuing search for bioactive compounds with the International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG), and in collaboration with the Natural Products Discovery Institute of the Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research (IHVR), twelve plant extracts were investigated for their antiproliferative activity against the A2780 cell line, three plant extracts were investigated for their antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, and three plant extracts were investigated for their anti-inflammatory activity (PPAR-y inhibition). Bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts led to the identification of four new antiproliferative compounds (2.1-2.3, 3.1), five new anti-inflammatory compounds (6.4a, 6.5a-b, 6.6a, 6.6c), and twenty-eight known compounds from eight of the extracts. In addition, mallotojaponin C, an antimalarial natural product, and derivatives were synthesized and investigated for their antimalarial activity.