NOVEL BIOACTIVITIES OF CURCUMA-LONGA CONSTITUENTS

Bioassay-directed fractionation of ethyl acetate extract from Curcuma longa Linn. rhizomes yielded three curcuminoids, which displayed topoi somerase I and II enzyme inhibition activity. Curcumin III (3) was the most active curcuminoid, inhibiting topoisomerase at 25 mu g mL(-1). Curcumin I (1) and curcumin II (2) inhibited the topoisomerases at 50 mu g mL(-1). Practionation of the volatile oil from the rhizomes affor ded ar-turmerone (4), which displayed mosquitocidal activity with an L D100 of 50 mu g mL(-1) on Aedes aegyptii larvae. Bioassay-directed fra ctionation of hexane extract from the turmeric leaves yielded labda-8( 17),12-diene-15,16 dial (5) with antifungal activity against Candida a lbicans at 1 mu g mL(-1) and inhibited the growth of Candida kruseii a nd Candida parapsilosis at 25 mu g mL(-1). In addition, 5 displayed 10 0% mosquitocidal activity on A. aegyptii larvae at 10 mu g mL(-1).