Article · Volume 3, Issue 5 · pp. 143–153

Phytochemical Survey and Pharmacological Activities of the Indole Alkaloids in the Genus Voacanga Thouars (Apocynaceae) – An Update

Allan Patrick G. Macabeo^1,3, Grecebio Jonathan D. Alejandro², Arnold V. Hallare⁴, Warren S. Vidar¹, Oliver B. Villaflores¹

¹Phytochemistry, Research Center for the Natural Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Espana Blvd, Manila 1015, PHILIPPINES.
²Plant Sciences, Research Center for the Natural Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Espana Blvd, Manila 1015, PHILIPPINES.
³Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93053 Regensburg, GERMANY.
⁴Department of Biology, CAS, University of the Philippines-Manila, Padre Faura St., Manila 1000, PHILIPPINES.

Abstract

Numerous species of the Apocynaceous genus Voacanga Thouars have been demonstrated to elaborate a host of indole alkaloids that display various structural complexities and a wide array of biological activities. Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids are nitrogenous metabolites borne from the biosynthetic union of tryptophan and the terpene-derived iridoid, secologanin. As a genus is closely related to Tabernaemontana, representative species of Voacanga were reported to contain the vobasine, vallesamine, eburnane, iboga and aspidosperma–type indole alkaloids. A lot of these compounds are associated with analgesic, CNS, antimicrobial, anti-ulcer, cytotoxic, antioxidant and antimalarial activities. Voacanga is a small taxon with 12 species that are mainly found in tropical Africa and Malesia except for V. grandifolia which extends to Australia. This comprehensive review compiles the phytochemical and pharmacological explorations that have been undertaken on Voacanga in relation to its indole alkaloids.

Keywords: Voacanga; indole alkaloids; anti-ulcer; antibacterial; cytotoxic; CNS activity

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