Antileishmanial Phenylpropanoids from the Leaves ofHyptis pectinata(L.) Poit

Abstract

Hyptis pectinata, popularly known in Brazil as “sambacaitá” or “canudinho,” is an aromatic shrub largely grown in the northeast of Brazil. The leaves and bark are used in an infusion for the treatment of throat and skin inflammations, bacterial infections, pain, and cancer. Analogues of rosmarinic acid and flavonoids were obtained from the leaves ofHyptis pectinataand consisted of two new compounds, sambacaitaric acid (1) and 3-O-methyl-sambacaitaric acid (2), and nine known compounds, rosmarinic acid (3), 3-O-methyl-rosmarinic acid (4), ethyl caffeate (5), nepetoidin A (6), nepetoidin B (7), cirsiliol (8), circimaritin (9), 7-O-methylluteolin (10), and genkwanin (11). The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods. Compounds1–5, and7were evaluatedin vitroagainst the promastigote form ofL. braziliensis, and the ethanol extract. The hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol-water fractions were also evaluated. The EtOH extract, the hexane extract, EtOAc, MeOH:H2O fractions; and compounds1,2and4exhibited antileishmanial activity, and compound1was as potent as pentamidine. In contrast, compounds3,5, and7did not present activity against the promastigote form ofL. braziliensisbelow 100 µM. To our knowledge, compounds1and2are being described for the first time.