PHYTOCHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF ERYTHRINA VARIEGATA

Five compounds were isolated from the n-hexane and chloroform soluble fractions of a methanol extract of the stem bark of Erythrina variegata. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated as alpinum isoflavone (1), epilupeol (2), 6-hydroxygenistein (3), 3β, 28dihydroxyolean-12-ene (4) and stigmasterol (5) by extensive spectroscopic studies, including high field NMR analyses. Different partitionates of the methanol extract exhibited mild to moderate antimicrobial activity and varying degrees of cytotoxicity. Although, alpinum isoflavone (1) has previously been reported from E. variegata, this is the first report of isolation of compounds 2-4 and stigmasterol from this plant species.