ISOLATION OF ECHINOCYSTIC ACID-3-O-SULFATE, A NEW TRITERPENE, FROM TETRAPLEURA-TETRAPTERA, AND EVALUATION OF THE MUTAGENIC POTENTIAL OF MOLLUSCICIDAL EXTRACTS AND ISOLATES

A known triterpene glycoside, -2'-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]olean-12 -en-28-oic acid [3], and a new sulfated triterpene, echinocystic acid- 3-O-sodium sulfate [4], have been isolated from the stem bark of Tetra pleura tetraptera. Compound 3 was 100% lethal to Biomphalaria glabrata at 20 ppm, while 4 was not molluscicidal at the same concentration. I n a forward mutation assay utilizing Salmonella typhimurium strain TM6 77, T. tetraptera stem bark extracts were found to be mutagenic in the absence of a metabolic activating system (S-9). An MeOH extract of th e fruit exhibited weak mutagenic activity only in the presence of S-9. The stem bark isolates, which included aridanin [1], tamido-2'-deoxy- beta-D-glucopyranosyl)echinocystic acid [2], and compounds 3 and 4, we re not mutagenic, either with or without metabolic activation.