Cytotoxic Activity of Two Limonoids Isolated From Swietenia mahagoni by Using Brine Shrimp Lethality Bioassay

Abstract

Solvent partitioning followed by column chromatography of the MeOH extract of the seeds of Swietenia mahagoni afforded two limonoids, swietenolide (compound 1) and 2-hydroxy-3-O-tigloylswietenolide (compound 2), later one is new compound. The compounds were identified by spectroscopic means. The cytotoxic activity of these compounds was assessed by using the conventional brine shrimp lethality bioassay. While both compounds were found to have moderate cytotoxic activity, compound 2 displayed overall more potent activity than compound 1. Key words: Cytotoxic; Limonoid; Swietenia mahagoni; Brine shrimp lethality bioassay DOI: 10.3329/bjpp.v24i1.5729Bangladesh J Physiol Pharmacol 2008; 24(1&2) : 1-6