Planta Med 2000; 66(4): 396-398
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-8533
Letter
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

A Simple and Efficient Separation of the Curcumins, the Antiprotozoal Constituents of Curcuma longa

Hasse Bonde Rasmussen1,*, Søren Brøgger Christensen1 , Lars Peter Kvist1 , Arzalan Karazmi2
  • 1 Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • 2 Department of Clinical Microbiology, The University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

Abstract

A simple and efficient method for the separation of the three phenolic diketones, curcumin 1, demethoxycurcumin 2, and bis-demethoxycurcumin 3, isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa has been developed. The method is of general applicability for the separation of compounds containing acidic and chelating groups and is amenable to large scale separations. The curcumins 1 - 3 show moderate activity against Plasmodium falciparum (IC50: 3.5, 4.2 and 3.0 μg/ml) and Leishmania major (IC50: 7.8, 14.1 and 21.5 μg/ml) respectively.

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Dr. Hasse Bonde Rasmussen

The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy Dept. of Medicinal Chemistry

Universitetsparken 2

2100 Copenhagen

Denmark

Email: hbr@dfh.dk

Phone: +45 3530 6041