Cecropioic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene from Musanga cecropioides

• Published in: Phytochemistry (Oxford) Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 171 - 174
• Main Authors: Lontsi, D., Sondengam, B.L., Martin, M.T., Bodo, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01-05-1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chemical constitution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Plant physiology and development; Africa; pentacyclic triterpenes; rootwood, cecropioic acid; Musanga cecropioides; Cecropiaceae; Pentacyclic compound; Urticaceae; Folk medicine; Wood; Root; Molecular structure; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Triterpene; Isolation; Spermatophyta; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 0031-9422; 1873-3700
• DOI: 10.1016/S0031-9422(97)00789-9

A new pentacyclic triterpene methyl cecropioate (
1) has been obtained from the methylated ethylacetate extract of
Musanga cecropioides as well as five known other triterpenes including methyl tormentate
2 methyl 2-acetyl tromentate (
3). Acetylation of
2 led to the 2,3-diacetylated derivative (
4).
Six pentacyclic triterpenes were isolated as their methyl ester from the methylated rootwood extracts of
Musanga cecropioides and their structure elucidated by 2D-COSY spectroscopic methods. They were methyl tormentate, methyl 2-acetyltormentate, methyl 28-glucosyltormentate, methyl pomolate, methyl euscaphate and a new pentacyclic triterpene, methyl cecropioate (methyl 2α,11α-diacetoxy,3β,19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oate).