PHYTOCONSTITUENTS AND BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF JUSTICIA SPICIGERA CULTIVATED IN EGYPT

Abstract

Four compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Justicia spicigera Schltdl. (Acanthaceae) and were identified as uracil (1), uridine (2), megastigmane vomifoliol-9-O-β-D-Glucopyranoside (3) and β-sitosterol (4). The structures of these compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods (IR, 1 H-NMR, APT, 2D NMR and EI/MS). The different crude extracts showed selective inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), remarkable cytotoxic activities against Human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines and Human lung carcinoma (A-549) cell lines and weak antimicrobial activities. This is the first report concerning the isolation of compounds (1-3) from genus Justicia.