ABSTRACT
Phytochemical investigation of a dichloromethane-methanol [1:1] extract of the fruit pericarp of Omphalocarpum procerum which exhibited antiplasmodial activity during preliminary screening led to the isolation of the new fatty ester triterpenoid 3beta -hexadecanoyloxy-28-hydroxyolean-12-en-11-one [1], together with five known compounds 2-6. The structure of the new compound as well as those of the known compounds was established by means of spectroscopic methods and by comparison with previously reported data. Compounds 1- 4 were evaluated in-vitro for their cytotoxicity against L6 cell lines and antiprotozoal activities against Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma cruzi [species responsible for human malaria, visceral leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis and Chagas disease, respectively]. The tested compounds showed weak to moderate antiprotozoal activity and, no significant effect was detected regarding their cytotoxic potency