Antimalarial Agents from Plants. III. Trichothecenes from Ficus fistulosa and Rhaphidophora decursiva

Abstract Bioassay-directed fractionation of an extract prepared from the dried leaves and stem barks of FICUS FISTULOSA Reinw. ex Blume (Moraceae) led to the isolation of verrucarin L acetate (1), together with 3α-hydroxyisohop-22(29)-en-24-oic acid, 3β-gluco-sitosterol, 3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethoxyisocarbostyril, 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl alcohol, α-methyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl alcohol, indole-3-carboxaldehyde, palmanine, and aurantiamide acetate. Roridin E (2) was identified in a subfraction from the dried leaves and stems of RHAPHIDOPHORA DECURSIVA Schott (Araceae). Verrucarin L acetate and roridin E were characterized as macrocyclic trichothecene sesquiterpenoids and found to inhibit the growth of PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM with IC 50 values below 1 ng/ml.