Tabebuia bahamensis: A Major Source of Pharmacologically Important Ursolic Acid

Authors

Samon Shrestha, University of Alabama - Huntsville
Mary C. Setzer, University of Alabama - Huntsville
Debra M. Moriarity, University of Alabama - Huntsville
Bhuwan K. Chhetri, University of Alabama - Huntsville
William N. Setzer, University of Alabama - HuntsvilleFollow

Abstract

Leaves of Tabebuia bahamensis, collected on Abaco Island, Bahamas, were dried and extracted with dichloromethane to yield a crude extract. Using preparative flash column chromatography on silica gel, enabled the isolation of ursolic acid with an excellent yield of 2.06 percent based on the mass of dry leaves. Both the crude leaf extract and ursolic acid produced selective in-vitro cytotoxic activity on tumor cells from human mammary and bladder tissue. Ursolic acid also demonstrated antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Recommended Citation

Shrestha, Samon; Mary C. Setzer; Debra M. Moriarity; Bhuwan K. Chhetri; and William N. Setzer. 2015. "Tabebuia bahamensis: A Major Source of Pharmacologically Important Ursolic Acid." Journal of Medicinally Active Plants 4, (3):37-41.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7275/R54X55RX
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/jmap/vol4/iss3/4