1. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopic approach for exploring Acacia Mellifera Metabolites
Charles Mutai1,2 and Vassilios Roussis3
1. KEMRI, P.O. Box , Nairobi
2. SPHBS&T/MMUST, P.O. Box , Kakamega
3. University of Athens, Department of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, Athens , Greece

2. Introduction
Application of Technology in analyzing drugs is very import in health care because a health vibrant population is needed for development.
In recent year, there has been a growing interest on the study of metabolites from plant s and particularly of Acacia species to develop new medicine.
Most investigations of these plant metabolites have been based on either nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or mass spectrometry (MS) and chromatography.

3. Introduction Contd
Both MS and NMR have provided a powerful complementary technique for the identification and quantification of metabolites in plant extracts.
The NMR spectroscopy has improved of metabolites structural and functional characterization and for advancing the understanding of many biological processes. of healthcare.
 Medicinal plants are widely used in the management of several diseases thus a potential source of alternative drugs.
Search for alternative anticancer drugs is highly motivated by increased number of people suffering from cancer and high cost of treatment.

4. Introduction Contd
Acacia mellifera (Leguminosae) is used in traditional African ethnomedicine for the treatment of pneumonia, malaria, primary infection of syphilis, wounds, sterility and stomach-ache
Previously isolated metabolites in this species includes: led to the isolation of alkaloids, chalcone glycosides, diterpenes and flavonoids
Acacia mellifera is distribution- widely distributed in the highlands especially in the eastern, Rift valley and central parts of Kenya. It is mainly found in the semi-arid and arid areas of Africa .

5. Objective of the study
The objective of this study was to use NMR to characterize the pure compounds isolated from Acacia mellifera.

6. Material and methods Collection of plant materials Processing
stem bark collected from
Machakos.
Processing
Washing and drying at
room temperature
Extraction
Organic (Methanol and DCM)
Aqueous
NMR spectra and Bio- assay
NMR spectra :
NMR spectra showed a triterpenoid framework
Method- 1D and 2D NMR (HMQC,HMBC and NOESY)
( 400MHz, CDCL3)
Bio- assay : The NSCLC-N6 cell line , derived from
a human non-small-cell broncho-pulmonary carcinoma
The cell were cultured at 37 C in an air/carbon dioxide (95:
5, v/v) atmosphere in RPMI medium with 5 % fetal
calf serum, to which were added penicillin (100 IU·mL -1)
, streptomycin 100 μg·mL-1) and glutamine (2 mM).
Chromatography
Colum, (Chex: EtOAC)=I-IX FractionS
HPLC, separation of VI yielded
compound 1 and 2.

7. Results and Discussion
Metabolites 1-6, along with quantities of atranorin, methyl-2,4-dihydroxy-3,6- dimethyl benzoate, sitosterol-3 β-O-glucoside, and linoleic acid.
Metabolite 1 was obtained as a colourless gum and its HRFAB-MS spectrum showed an ion peak at m/z , consistent with the molecular formula C30H47O2 ([M+Η]+). The IR spectrum of 1 showed an absorption band at 1,704 cm-1 indicative of the presence of carbonyl functionalities a fact supported by 13C-NMR data
The 13C-NMR spectrum of 1 showed signals of 30 carbon atoms, which were identified with the assistance of its DEPT spectrum as seven methyls, ten methylenes, seven methines, and six quaternary carbons (Table 1).
Two of these appearing at δC and were attributed to the carbons of an aldehyde and a ketone, respectively.
In NMR spectra it was clear that the molecule did not contain any double bonds. From the above findings, the five degrees of unsaturation consistent for a pentacyclic structure and the spectral similarities with the triterpenes this was 1 was suspected to be a lupane-type triterpene with a saturated side chain.

8. Results and Discussion
Table 1,(Metabolite 1)
Position
PPM
1 (CH2)
39.4
11 (CH2)
21.3
21 (CH2) 25
2 (CH2) 34
12 (CH2)
27.4
22 (CH2)
39.9
3 (C)
218.5
13 (CH)
37.8
23 (CH3)
26.6
4 (C)
47.3
14 (C)
42.9
24 (CH3) 21
5 (CH)
54.7
15 (CH2)
27.1
25 (CH3)
15.7
6 (CH2)
19.6
16 (CH2)
35.1
26 (CH3)
7 (CH2)
33.4
17 (C) 43
27 (CH3)
14.2
8 (C)
40.6
18 (CH)
48.9
28 (CH3)
17.5
9 (CH)
49.2
19 (CH)
42.6
29 (CH3)
14.4
10 (C)
36.7
20 (CH)
30 (CH)
207.1

9. Results and Discussion
Table 1,(Metabolite 1) dH
PPM dh
α,1.40 (m) β,1.91 (m)
39.4
α, 1.55 (m) β, 1.40 (m)
21.3
α, 1.51 (m) β, 1.88 (m) 25
α, 2.40 (ddd, 4.7, 7.8, 15.7) β, 2.47 (ddd, 7.5, 9.6, 15.7) 34
α, 1.38 (m) β, 1.56 (m)
27.4
α, 1.36 (m) β, 1.47 (m)
39.9
218.5
1.74 (m)
37.8
1.06 (s)
26.6
47.3 1
42.9
1.01 (s) 21
1.33 (m)
54.7
α, 1.05 (m) β, 1.69 (m)
27.1
0.91 (s)
15.7
α,1.44 (m) β,1.56 (m)
19.6
2H, 1.47 (m)
35.1
2H, 1.44 (m)
33.4 43
0.92 (s)
14.2
8 (C)
40.6
1.43 (m)
48.9
0.75 (s)
17.5
1.38 (m)
49.2
1.89 (m)
42.6
1.07 (d, 7.2)
14.4
10 (C)
36.7
2.60 (m)
9.84 (d, 2.0)
207.1

10. Results and Discussion
The assignment of the proton and carbon signals on the side chain was assisted by the correlations observed in the HMBC spectrum between H-30 (9.84 ppm) and both C-29 (14.4 ppm) and C-19 (42.6 ppm) as well as by the correlation between H-29 (1.07 ppm) and C-19 (δC 42.6, s)
Finally, the quaternary carbon signal at δC was readily assigned to C-3 on the basis of its long-range correlations with H-23 and H-24. Additional information from the COSY and HMBC spectra allowed full assignments of all signals for metabolite 1.
The H-19 resonating at δH 1.89 (m) was found to have nOe interactions with H- 28 (δH 0.75, s) indicating a β-orientation for both. Thus, the isopropanal group located at C-19 should be α-oriented. Additionally the H-28 protons showed nOe interactions with H-13 (δH ppm), confirming the orientation of H-13β.
The absence of nOe between H-18 and H-28 is indicative of the trans fusion of rings D and E. The remaining correlations that were similar to those observed with related compounds and in agreement with the biosynthesis of lupane triterpenes allowed the determination of relative stereochemistry

11. Results and Discussion
Therefore metabolite 1 was identified as (20R)-3-oxolupan-30-al. R1 R2
C-20 configuration 16
20R 1 O
CH3

12. Results and Discussion
Metabolite 2 was also isolated as a colourless gum and on the basis of its HRFAB-MS spectrum (m/z , [M-H]+), along with the 1H- and 13C-NMR spectral data, the molecular formula C30H48O3 was established.
The 13C-NMR spectrum of 2 showed signals of 30 carbon atoms, which were identified by the assistance of DEPT spectrum as six methyls, eleven methylenes, seven methines, and six quaternary carbons (Table 2)
The signals appearing at δC and were attributed to the carbons of an aldehyde and a ketone, also confirmed by IR and DEPT spectra. The presence of a hydroxymethylene in the molecule was obvious from the chemical shift of the sole oxygenated sp3 carbon at δC 60.1 ppm
Comparison of the spectral data of 2 with those of metabolites 1 and 2 showed great similarity, with the exception of C-17 methyl being replaced by a hydroxymethylene.

13. Results and Discussion
Table 2,(Metabolite 2)
Position
PPM
1 (CH2)
39.4
11 (CH2)
21.3
21 (CH2) 25
2 (CH2) 34
12 (CH2)
27.4
22 (CH2)
39.9
3 (C)
218.5
13 (CH)
37.8
23 (CH3)
26.6
4 (C)
47.3
14 (C)
42.9
24 (CH3) 21
5 (CH)
54.7
15 (CH2)
27.1
25 (CH3)
15.7
6 (CH2)
19.6
16 (CH2)
35.1
26 (CH3)
7 (CH2)
33.4
17 (C) 43
27 (CH3)
14.5
8 (C)
40.6
18 (CH)
48.9
28 (CH3)
60.1
9 (CH)
49.2
19 (CH)
42.6
29 (CH3)
10 (C)
36.7
20 (CH)
30 (CH)
206.7

14. Results and Discussion
Therefore metabolite 2 was identified as (20R)-28-hydroxylupen- 30-al-3-one . R1 R2
C-20 configuration 16 O
CH2OH
20R

15. Results and Discussion
In the present study (20R)-3-oxolupan-30-al and (20R)-28- hydroxylupen-30-al-3-one were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against the NSCLC-N6 cell line.
The new metabolite (20R)-28-hydroxylupen-30-al-3-one showed noteworthy levels of activity (IC50= 39.5 ± 1.2 μM) whereas the activity of metabolite 1was not significant.
Structure-activity correlations for 20R)-3-oxolupan-30-al and (20R)-28-hydroxylupen-30-al-3-one and similar lupanes tested earlier on the same cell line [Mutai et al. 2004) show that the hydroxyl group on C-28 is necessary for expression of cytotoxicity.

16. Conclusion
Anticancer activity was demonstrated by (20R)-28-hydroxylupen-30-al-3- one,
Modern science needs to borrow from IK especially on traditional use of medicinal plants.
Further structural modification on (20R)-28-hydroxylupen-30-al-3-one need to be done to increase it activity against cancer. (20R)-28- hydroxylupen-30-al-3-one is a potential drug to treat cancer.

17. Thank you for your attention