An antileishmanial chalcone from Chinese licorice roots

Planta Med. 1994 Apr;60(2):121-3. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-959431.

Abstract

A bioassay guided fractionation of an extract of Chinese licorice roots led to the isolation of (E)-1-[2,4-dihydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)phenyl]-3-[4- hydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl]phenyl-2-propen-1-one, which in vitro showed potent antileishmanial activity. In addition, the novel chalcone (E)-1-[2,4-dihydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2- butenyl)phenyl]-3-(2,2-dimethyl-8-hydroxy-2H-benzopyran-6-yl)-2-prope n-1-one was isolated from the roots. The latter compound only showed antileishmanial activity at high concentrations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / chemistry
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / isolation & purification
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Chalcone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Chalcone / chemistry
  • Chalcone / isolation & purification
  • Chalcone / pharmacology
  • Chalcones
  • China
  • Glycyrrhiza / chemistry*
  • Leishmania donovani / drug effects*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plants, Medicinal*

Substances

  • 1-(2,4-dihydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)phenyl)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)phenyl)-2-propen-1-one
  • Antiprotozoal Agents
  • Chalcones
  • 1-(3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-2,4-(dihydroxy)phenyl)-3-(2,2-dimethyl-8-hydroxy-2H-benzopyran-6-yl)-2-propen-1-one
  • Chalcone