Elaeodendron is a genus of tiny trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs consisting of about 23 species. It is used in traditional medicine and has a wide range of pharmacological activities. From the plants in this genus, flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, and cardenolides have been isolated. Preclinical investigations have also revealed antiviral, anti-HIV, anticancer, antiproliferative, antioxidant, antifungal, anti-inflammation, cytotoxic, anti-plasmodial, anti-arthritic, antibacterial, and anti-diabetic activities. Bioactive substances found in Elaedendron that function in a variety of ways are related to these biological processes.
Species | Isolated Compounds | Traditional Uses | Part Used | Reported Biological Activity | Reference | ||||||
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E. buchananii | Elabunin; lupeol; 19α, 28-trihydroxyurs-12- en-23-oic acid; 3β, 11α, 3β-acetoxy-19α, 23, 28-trihydroxyurs-12-ene; 3-oxo-19α, buchaninoside; 19α-trihydroxyurs-12-en-23, 28-dioic acid; mutangin; methyl 3β-acetoxy-11α, 28 dihydroxyurs-12-en-24-oic acid | Fever, diarrhea gastrointestinal problems, bloody coughing, excessive uterine bleeding, infertility, syphilis, wounds, and leukemia | Leaves, Roots Bark | Anticancer, gastrointestinal disturbances, antimicrobial | [9][11] | ||||||
E. croceum | 30-Hydroxylup 20(29)-en-3-one; (+)-6R,13R-11,11- dimethyl-1,3,8,10-tetrahydroxy-9-methoxy-peltogynan; galactitol; canophyllol; (−)-4′-0-methoxyepigallocatechin; tingenin B; ouratea-proanthocyanidin A; tingenone; 3-hydroxylupeol; 11α-hydroxy-β-amyrin; naringenin | Tuberculosis, blood in sputum, chest congestion, cough, sore throat, gastrointestinal system, fever | Stem bark | Anti-HIV, antibacterial, anti-arthritic, antimycobacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic | [4][15] | ||||||
E. glacum | 30-Hydroxylup-20(29)-en-3-one; tingenone; canophyllol; tingenin B; 3-hydroxylupeol; elaeodendroside; isocardenolide | Diabetes, sternutatories, nerve illnesses, swellings, headaches, emetic | Leaves, Root bark | Ani-diabetic, anti-snake-bite properties | [17] | ||||||
E. orientale | Elaeodendroside F; elaeodendroside G; elaeodendroside T; elaeodendroside B; elaeodendroside C; elaeodendroside R; 20(22)-dienolid,6β,8β,11α,14β-tetrahydroxy-12-oxo-2α-O; 11α,14β-dihydroxy-2α-O;3β- O-(30α-methoxy-40-deoxy-50-dehydroxymethyl hexosulose)-card-4; 20(22)-dienolide, 3β-O-(20α,30β-methylendioxy)-40-desoxy-50-deshydroxymethyl-hexosu- lose]-card-4, 11α,14β-dihydroxy-2α-O; 3β-O-(30 α-methoxy-40-deoxy-50-dehydr-oxymethyl-hexosulose)-card-4; 20(22)-dienolide | chest infections, venereal illness, scorpion fish poisoning, astringent emetic, hypertension | Leaves, root bark | Anti-arthritic, antiproliferative, anticancer | [3][6] | ||||||
E. schweinfurthianum | 3α-Hydroxyfriedelane; α-amyrin acetate; α-amyrin; 3-oxo-29-hydroxyfriedelane; β-sitosterol; lanosterol; stigmasterol; 3-oxofriedelane; 3-oxofriedelan-28-al | Fever | Roots | Antibacterial, anti-HIV, anti-plasmodial | [1] | ||||||
E. schlechteranum | 4′,4″-Di-O-methyl-prodelphinidin; B | 4, | 3β,29-dihydroxyglutin-5-ene; 4′- | O | -methyl-epigallocatechin; tingenin B; 4′- | O | -methylgallocatechin; cangoronine methyl ester | Menstrual irregularities, anaemia, heart issues, high blood pressure, basic body discomfort, inflammatory disease, carbuncles boils, wounds | Roots, stem bark, root bark, leaf | Anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory | [23] |
E. transvaalense | 4′- | O | -Methyl-epigallocatechin; canophyllal; (+)-, 11,11-dimethyl-1,3,8,10-trahydroxy-9-methoxypeltogynan; 6β-hydroxy-lup-20(30)-en-3-one; galactitol; hydroxylup-20(29)-ene-3-one; lup-20(29)-ene-30-hydroxy-3-one; Ψ-taraxastanonol; lup-20(30)-ene-3α,29-diol; lup-20(30)-ene-3α,29-diol; β-sitosterol; 3,28-dihydroxylbetuli-20(29)-ene; lup-20(30)-ene-3α,29-diollup-20(29)-ene-30-hydroxy-3-one; 4′-O-methyl-epigallocatechin; 3-oxo-28-hydroxylbetuli-20(29)-ene; 30-hydroxylup-20(29)- ene-3-one. | Diarrhea, stomachache, rashes, skin infections, inflammations, menorrhagia, women’s fertility issues, hypertension, HIV, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). | Root bark | Anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antimalarial, cytotoxic | [7][24][25] | ||||
E. xylocarpum | 3,25-Epoxy-olean-12-ene; 3β,21a-dihydroxyglut-5-ene; baruol; friedelin; cangoronine; cangoronine methyl ester; glutinol; 3β,29-dihydroxyglut-5-ene; wilforol E; 6β,30-dihydroxylup-20(29)-en-3-one; 6β-hydroxy-3-oxolup-20(29)-en-30-al; 3-oxolup-20(29)-en-30-oic acid; 3β,6β,20-trihydroxylupane; 11α,28-dihydroxylup-20(29)-en-3-one; 3- oxolup-20(29)-en-30-al; ochraceolide A; 12 3-oxo-30 hydroxylupane; 11 3-epiglochidiol; lupenone; botulin; 11 6β,20-dihydroxylupan-3-one; 16 lupan-3β-caffeate; 11 betulin-3β-caffeate; glochidiol; 3-epibetulin; betulone; 11α hydroxyglochidone; lupeol; rigidenol; nepeticin; glochidone; 25-hydroxylupeol; 15 3β,30-dihydroxylupane; 3-epinepeticin; 3b,29-Dihydroxy-olean-18-ene; 29-Hydroxy-3-oxo-olean-18-ene; 6b,29-Dihydroxy-3-oxo-olean-18-ene; 6b-Hydroxy-3-oxo-olean-18-ene; 3b,21a-Dihidroxy-olean-18-ene; 3b,6b-Dihidroxy-olean-18-ene; 21a-Hydroxy-3-oxo-olean-18-ene; 3b,11a,28-Trihydroxy-olean-18-ene; 29-Acetoxy-3-oxo-olean-18-ene; 3b,21a-Diacetoxy-olean-18-ene; 3b-Acetoxy-6b-hydroxy-olean-18-ene; 6β,30-Dihydroxylup-20(29)-en-3-one; 6β-Hydroxy-3-oxolup-20(29)-en-30-al; 3-Oxolup-20(29)-en-30-oic acid; 3β,6β,20-Trihydroxylupane; 1β,3α,28-Trihydroxylup-20(29)-ene; 11α,28-Dihydroxy-3-oxolup-20(29)-ene; 3β,28-Di-O-octanoylbetulin; 28-O-(1-Naphthoyl)botulin; 3β,28-Di-O-(1-naphthoyl)botulin; 28-Oacetyl-3β,20,29-trihydroxylupane; 28-O-acetyl20R,29-epoxy-3β-hydroxylupane; 2 (28-O-acetyl-3β-hydroxylup-20(29)-en30-al; 3β,30-di-O-acetyllup-20(29)-ene; 2-bromo-3-oxolup-20(29)-ene;11α-O-acetyl-3-oxolup-20(29)-ene;11α-O-Acetyl-30-chloro-3-oxolup-1,20(29)-diene | Stimulant | Root bark | Anti-HIV | [26][27] |
Khumalo et al. examined the antimicrobial property of E. transvaalense stem bark extracts and components in methanol and dichloromethane. 6β-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-ene-3-one,4′-O-methylepigallocatechin, lup-20(30)-ene-3α,29-diol, and 30-hydroxylup-20(29)-ene-3-one were tested against Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus epidermidis [31] Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using a micro-titer plate broth two-fold serial dilution experiment with ciprofloxacin as the control sample. The extract and compounds had moderate antibacterial activity, with minimum inhibitory concentration values 0.1 mg/mL to 1.7 mg/mL. Using the serial broth microdilution assay and ciprofloxacin as a positive control. Mamba et al. investigated the antimicrobial activities of E. transvaalense bark ethanol extracts and the molecules 4′-O-methyl-epigallocatechin, lup-20(30)-ene-3,29-diol and lup-20(29)-ene-30-hydroxy-3-one isolated from the plant against Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Oligella ureolytica, and Gardnerella vaginalis. MIC values for the extracts and compounds varied from 1.6 mg/mL to 12.5 mg/mL, whereas the positive control had a MIC of 0.01 mg/mL [16]. McGaw et al. used disc-diffusion and micro-dilution assays to test the antimicrobial activity of E. transvaalense bark aqueous and hexane ethanol extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli with neomycin as a positive control. Water and ethanolic extracts were potent against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, with MICs ranging from 0.1 mg/mL to 0.8 mg/mL [32]. Using the agar dilution method, Tshikalanga et al. investigated the antimicrobial activities of E. transvaalense chloroform and aqueous bark extracts against Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli. The extracts had MIC values between 20 mg/mL to 50 mg/mL against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus [7].