{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T19:20:40Z","timestamp":1777576840627,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,25]],"date-time":"2021-06-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1624579200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Ethnobotanical surveys indicate that the Masai and Kikuyu in Kenya, the Venda in South Africa, and the Gumuz people of Ethiopia use Pappea capensis for the treatment of malaria. The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical and antiplasmodial properties of the plant leaves. The bioactive compounds were isolated using chromatographic techniques. The structures were established using NMR, HRMS, and UV spectroscopy. Antiplasmodial activity of P. capensis leaf extract and isolated compounds against chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 P. falciparum was evaluated using the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay. Cytotoxicity against HeLa (human cervix adenocarcinoma) cells was determined using the resazurin assay. The extract inhibited the viability of Plasmodium falciparum by more than 80% at 50 \u00b5g\/mL, but it was also cytotoxic against HeLa cells at the same concentration. Chromatographic purification of the extract led to the isolation of four flavonoid glycosides and epicatechin. The compounds displayed a similar activity pattern with the extract against P. falciparum and HeLa cells. The results from this study suggest that the widespread use of P. capensis in traditional medicine for the treatment of malaria might have some merits. However, more selectivity studies are needed to determine whether the leaf extract is cytotoxic against noncancerous cells.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules26133875","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,24]],"date-time":"2021-06-24T23:22:14Z","timestamp":1624576934000},"page":"3875","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["Antiplasmodial and Cytotoxic Flavonoids from Pappea capensis (Eckl. &amp; Zeyh.) Leaves"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Nasir","family":"Tajuddeen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tarryn","family":"Swart","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4409-1955","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Heinrich C.","family":"Hoppe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry & Microbiology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Fanie R.","family":"van Heerden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"WHO (2021). World Malaria Report 2020, World Health Organization."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"515","DOI":"10.1038\/nature24059","article-title":"The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum in sub-Saharan Africa since 1900","volume":"550","author":"Snow","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nature."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1021\/np200906s","article-title":"Natural Products as Sources of New Drugs over the 30 Years from 1981 to 2010","volume":"75","author":"Newman","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Nat. Prod."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"675","DOI":"10.1039\/b008980j","article-title":"Antimalarial activity of plant metabolites","volume":"19","author":"Schwikkard","year":"2002","journal-title":"Nat. Prod. Rep."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wells, T.N.C. (2011). Natural products as starting points for future anti-malarial therapies: Going back to our roots?. Malar. J., 10.","DOI":"10.1186\/1475-2875-10-S1-S3"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Coates Palgrave, K., and Drummond, R. (2002). Trees of Southern Africa, C. Struik Publishers."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/S0254-6299(15)30144-7","article-title":"On the origin of southern African subtropical thicket vegetation","volume":"71","author":"Cowling","year":"2005","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Hutchings, A. (1996). Zulu Medicinal Plants: An Inventory, University of Natal Press."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2005.03.011","article-title":"Evaluation of plants used for antimalarial treatment by the Maasai of Kenya","volume":"101","author":"Koch","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"546","article-title":"Antimalarial medicinal plants used by Gumuz people of Mandura Woreda, Benishangul-Gumuz regional state, Ethiopia","volume":"15","author":"Asnake","year":"2016","journal-title":"Indian J. Tradit. Knowl."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-4269-2-8","article-title":"Diversity and utilization of antimalarial ethnophytotherapeutic remedies among the Kikuyus (Central Kenya)","volume":"2","author":"Njoroge","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Ethnobiol. Ethnomed."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"370","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2014.09.017","article-title":"In vitro antiplasmodial screening of ethnopharmacologically selected South African plant species used for the treatment of malaria","volume":"156","author":"Bapela","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1380","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0033-1350691","article-title":"Antiprotozoal screening of 60 South African plants, and the identification of the antitrypanosomal germacranolides schkuhrin I and II","volume":"79","author":"Mokoka","year":"2013","journal-title":"Planta Med."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2012.12.026","article-title":"Anti-inflammatory and mutagenic evaluation of medicinal plants used by Venda people against venereal and related diseases","volume":"146","author":"Mulaudzi","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"272","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sajb.2016.10.021","article-title":"Antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxicity of isolated compounds from leaves of Pappea capensis","volume":"108","author":"Pendota","year":"2017","journal-title":"S. Afr. J. Bot."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1109","DOI":"10.1080\/14786419.2015.1041138","article-title":"A novel antimicrobial flavonoid from the stem bark of Commiphora pedunculata (Kotschy & Peyr.) Engl","volume":"30","author":"Tajuddeen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat. Prod. Res."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Da Silva Sa, F.A., De Paula, J.A.M., Dos Santos, P.A., De Almeida Ribeiro Oliveira, L., De Almeida Ribeiro Oliveira, G., Liao, L.M., De Paula, J.R., and Do Rosario Rodrigues Silva, M. (2017). Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of Myrcia tomentosa (Aubl.) DC. leaves. Molecules, 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules22071100"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tajuddeen, N., Swart, T., Hoppe, H.C., and van Heerden, F.R. (2021). Antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities of extract and compounds from Ozoroa obovata (Oliv.) R. & A. Fern. var. obovata. Chem. Biodivers.","DOI":"10.1002\/cbdv.202100240"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"511","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2006-957753","article-title":"The flavonoid constituents of two Polypodium species (Calaguala) and their effect on the elastase release in human neutrophils","volume":"63","author":"Vasange","year":"1997","journal-title":"Planta Med."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1552","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.2529","article-title":"Effects of hyperin, isoquercitrin and quercetin on lipopolysaccharide-induced nitrite production in rat peritoneal macrophages","volume":"22","author":"Lee","year":"2008","journal-title":"Phytother. Res."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"607","DOI":"10.1002\/fedr.19911020711","article-title":"Chemosystematics of the Sapindaceae","volume":"102","author":"Umadevi","year":"1991","journal-title":"Feddes Repert."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bse.2014.07.021","article-title":"Chemical constituents of Cardiospermum corindum L. and their distribution in Sapindaceae","volume":"57","author":"Silva","year":"2014","journal-title":"Biochem. Syst. Ecol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"775","DOI":"10.1590\/S1984-82502013000400017","article-title":"Phenolic compounds and antioxidant, antimicrobial and antimycobacterial activities of Serjania erecta Radlk. (Sapindaceae)","volume":"49","author":"Coelho","year":"2013","journal-title":"Braz. J. Pharm. Sci."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"404","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-019-3026-1","article-title":"Antiplasmodial natural products: An update","volume":"18","author":"Tajuddeen","year":"2019","journal-title":"Malar. J."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jep.2016.04.053","article-title":"Wayanin and guaijaverin, two active metabolites found in a Psidium acutangulum Mart. ex DC (syn. P. persoonii McVaugh) (Myrtaceae) antimalarial decoction from the Wayana Amerindians","volume":"187","author":"Houel","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Ethnopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2289","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-011-2763-z","article-title":"Antiplasmodial activity of flavonol quercetin and its analogues in Plasmodium falciparum: Evidence from clinical isolates in Bangladesh and standardized parasite clones","volume":"110","author":"Ganesh","year":"2012","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lehane, A.M., and Saliba, K.J. (2008). Common dietary flavonoids inhibit the growth of the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite. BMC Res Notes., 1.","DOI":"10.1186\/1756-0500-1-26"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Atilaw, Y., Muiva-Mutisya, L., Ndakala, A., Akala, H.M., Yeda, R., Wu, Y.J., Coghi, P., Wong, V.K.W., Erdelyi, M., and Yenesew, A. (2017). Four Prenylflavone Derivatives with Antiplasmodial Activities from the Stem of Tephrosia purpurea subsp. leptostachya. Molecules, 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules22091514"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4415","DOI":"10.1007\/s00436-014-4119-y","article-title":"Antiplasmodial activity-aided isolation and identification of quercetin-4\u2032-methyl ether in Chromolaena odorata leaf fraction with high activity against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum","volume":"113","author":"Ezenyi","year":"2014","journal-title":"Parasitol. Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"711","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2004-827200","article-title":"Inhibiting activities of the secondary metabolites of Phlomis brunneogaleata against parasitic protozoa and plasmodial enoyl-ACP reductase, a crucial enzyme in fatty acid biosynthesis","volume":"70","author":"Kirmizibekmez","year":"2004","journal-title":"Planta Med."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"673","DOI":"10.1126\/science.781840","article-title":"Human malaria parasites in continuous culture","volume":"193","author":"Trager","year":"1976","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"739","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.1993.48.739","article-title":"Parasite lactate-dehydrogenase as an assay for plasmodium-falciparum drug sensitivity","volume":"48","author":"Makler","year":"1993","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."}],"container-title":["Molecules"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/26\/13\/3875\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T06:23:35Z","timestamp":1760163815000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1420-3049\/26\/13\/3875"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,25]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"13","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,7]]}},"alternative-id":["molecules26133875"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/molecules26133875","relation":{},"ISSN":["1420-3049"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1420-3049","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,25]]}}}