Chemical and Biological Investigations of Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.

Abstract

Two compounds namely lupeol (1) and epilupeol (2) were isolated from n-hexane soluble fraction of
crude methanol extract of the powdered whole plant of Samanea saman Merr. for the first time. The structures of the
isolated compounds were established by extensive analyses of their high resolution NMR spectral data as well as co-
TLC with authentic samples. In our preliminary screening, the n-hexane, carbon tetrachloride, and dichloromethane
soluble fractions of the crude methanolic extract of S. saman were subjected to antimicrobial activity and brine
shrimp lethality bioassay. The carbon tetrachloride soluble partitionate of the methanol extract exhibited mild to
moderate antimicrobial activity and strong cytotoxicity having LC50 of 0.831μg/ml.