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Planta Med 1994; 60(2): 121-123
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-959431
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© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

An Antileishmanial Chalcone from Chinese Licorice Roots

S. Brøgger Christensen1 , Chen Ming2 , Lotte Andersen1 , Ulla Hjørne1 , Carl Erik Olsen3 , Claus Cornett1 , Thor G. Theander4 , Arsalan Kharazmi2
  • 1Department of Organic Chemistry, The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
  • 2Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital 7806, Tagensvej 20, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark; Statens Seruminstitut, Artellerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S., Denmark
  • 3Chemistry Department, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Thorvaldsensvej, DK-1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
  • 4Centre of Medical Parasitology, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3C, DK-2200 Copenhagen N., Denmark
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Publication History

1993

1993

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

A bioassay guided fractionation of an extract of Chinese licorice roots led to the isolation of (E)-1-[2,4-dihydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)phenyl]-3-[4-hydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl]phenyl-2-propen-1-one, which in vitro showed potent antileishmanial activity. In addition, the novel chalcone (E)-1-[2,4-dihydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)phenyl]-3-(2,2-dimethyl-8-hydroxy-2H-benzopyran-6-yl)-2-propen-1-one was isolated from the roots. The latter compound only showed antileishmanial activity at high concentrations.

Key words

Leishmania - Glycyrrhiza - Fabaceae - chalcones - antileishmanial activity