Abstract:
Kenya has four species of Tabernaemontana; T. elegans Stapf, T.
pachysichon Stapf, T. stapfiana Britten and T. ventricosa A.DC.
These plants are found in the central, western and coastal
parts of Kenya (Beentje, Adamson and Bhanderi, 1994). The
main constituents the Tabernaemontana species are indole alka-
loids, a class of compounds with wide range of pharmacologi-
cal activities (Pelletier, 1999). Besides the alkaloids, pentacyclic
triterpenoids and steroids have also been isolated from the
species (Nielsen, Hazell, Hazell, Ghia and Torssell, 1994,
Pereira, França, Oliveira, Breves, Pereira, Sampaio, Nomizo
and Dias, 2008).
