Abstract
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•Six new saponins were isolated from Enterolobium contortisiliquum.•Structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods.•Cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities were evaluated for the isolated compounds.•Contortisilioside E exhibited a moderate cytotoxic activity.•Contortisilioside L exhibited a moderate antimicrobial activity.
Six new triterpenoid saponins, including four bisdesmosidic compounds, contortisiliosides H – K (1 – 4), and two monodesmosidic compounds, contortisiliosides L and M (7, 8), along with two known ones, contortisiliosides E and F (5, 6) were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the pericarps of Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Leguminosae). Their structures were determined using different spectroscopic techniques and acid hydrolysis. The cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities were then evaluated for the isolated compounds. Among isolated saponins, the most potent cytotoxic activity was observed with contortisilioside E (5) toward human hepatocellular carcinoma (IC50 18.9 μM) and human promyelocytic leukemia (IC50 15.6 μM) cell lines. The antimicrobial evaluation performed using serial dilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) revealed that contortisilioside L (7) has a moderate antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans (MICs = 25 μM).