A preliminary study of chemistry and toxicology of a natural antiprotozoal agent

Abstract

A survey of some tree forage supplements with potential to manipulate rumen protozoa found that 'Enterolobium cyclocarpum' Griseb. showed antiprotozoal activity (Leng et al., 1992). However, there is no further information available on the active agent(s) present in this plant. Therefore, a preliminary study on the chemistry and toxicology of the active agent present in the extract of 'Enterolobium' leaf was carried out. Working on the hypothesis that the active agent was a saponin, the active agent was isolated by maceration of the water-soluble compounds from the dried leaves, followed by partitioning between water and n-butanol layer with the butanol layer containing the active fraction. Further fractionation of the leaf extracts was guided by two bioassays, haemolytic assay and antiprotozoal assay. ... In summary, the purified fractions obtained after extensive reverse-phase HPLC were, in general, still unresolved mixtures of saponins.