Phytoecdysteroids from the stem bark of Vitex doniana with anti-inflammatory activities

Abstract

Vitex doniana (Verbenaceae) is small to medium sized tree up to 25 m tall tropical tree with no phytochemical report in spite of the available ethnopharmacological significance among different African communities [1-2], including management of stomach, rheumatic pains and inflammatory disorders [3].Antidepressant effects, potentiation of sodium thiopental sleeping time, muscle relaxant [4], anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities [1] of the leaves extract of V. doniana have been investigated and anti-hypertensive effect of the stem bark has been reported on normative and hypertensive rats [5]. The potent anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts of V. doniana with no phytopharmaceuticals associated with the activity prompted phytochemical analysis of the V. doniana stem bark for anti-inflammatory compounds. In this note, isolation of three new ecdysteroids [21-hydroxyshidasterone (1), 11-hydroxy-20-deoxyshidasterone (2), 2,3-acetonide-24-hydroxyecdysone (3)] and four known ecdysteroids [shidasterone (4), ajugasterone C (5) 24-hydroxyecdysone (6)11α-Hydroxyecdysone (7)] with comparable anti-inflammatory activities as diclofenac is reported