Active Cytotoxic Compounds and Essential Oil from Bougainvillea Alba

Chemical analysis of methanol extract of flowers and leaves of Bougainvillea alba led to isolation of four compounds identified as 3’, 4’, 6 - trimethoxy, 5 – hydroxyl 7-prenyl 3-O- (feruloyl (1→2) - rhamnpyranosyl) flavone[1], 3-O β-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl (1→3”) β-D-glucopyranosyl (1→3”’) α-L–xylopyrenoside [2], Lepidolide [3], E feruloyl 3-O- Coumaroyl α-L Rhamnopyranoside [4]. In addition, two oil fractions, the major identified components of oil are Elemene, Lanceol , Nerolidol , Methyl palmitate and Abietatriene. Cytotoxic activity of methanol extract of both leaves and flowers of Bougainvillea alba, isolated compounds and oil fractions were determined using the SRB Assay on human tumor cell line (Hepatocyte generation 2, HepG2). The isolated compounds showed cytotoxic activity at LC50 15.2, 17.2, 15.6 and 2.82 μg/ml for compound 1,2, 3 and 4 respectively, while the two oil fraction showed activity at 2.67 μg/ml.