Two new phenolic compounds from Boerhavia erecta collected in Vietnam

Abstract

Boerhavia erecta is a tropical plant that is widely used in Asian folk medicine. Little is known about the alpha-glucosidase inhibition and antimicrobial properties of compounds from this plant. In the present study, the phytochemical study of the aerial parts of B. erecta collected in Vietnam was conducted using multiple chromatographic methods. The chemical structures of isolated compounds were identified by comprehensive spectroscopic methods. Two new compounds, berectone C (1) and (E)-tetracosyl 3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)acrylate (4), together with the known compounds boeravinone C (2), liquiritigenin (3), bis(1H-indol-3-yl)methanone (5), and indole-3-carboxylic acid (6) were isolated and structural elucidated. Compounds 1 and 4 were evaluated for alpha-glucosidase inhibition and antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant, pathogenic bacteria Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Compound 1 showed strong inhibition of the alpha-glucosidase enzyme (IC₅₀ 43 µg/mL). Only compound 1 exhibited antimicrobial property against A. baumannii, forming an inhibition zone of 11 mm.

Keywords:

• Nyctaginaceae
• Boerhavia erecta
• boeravinone
• rotenoid
• alpha-glucosidase inhibition
• antimicrobial

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Ho Chi Minh University of Education. The study was also supported by Van Lang University. Biological assays were supported by Thammasat University Research Unit in Natural Products Chemistry and Bioactivities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.