Forest plot as a tool to demonstrate the pharmaceutical potential of plants in a tropical forest of Panama

Based on literature analysis of 308 angiosperm species inventoried from a 5 0-hectare forest plot on Barro Colorado Island Panama, 40 species were sele cted and 80 samples (two samples for every species; leaf + twig and stembar k samples) were collected for investigation of their medicinal/pharmaceutic al potential. Extracts of these 80 samples were tested in bioassay systems to assess cancer chemoprevention (eight assays). antiplasmodial. cytotoxici ty, and anti-HIV activities. Details of bioassay techniques are described O f the 40 species, 12 (30%) showed activity in one or more of the 11 bioassa y systems used. These active species are Bombacopsis (= Pachira) quinata, C alophyllum longifolium. Casearia commersoniana, Lozania pittieri, Maclura t inctoria, Mouriri myrtilloides, Olmedia aspera (= Trophis caucana), Pseudob umbax septenatum, Spondias radlkoferi, Stylogyne standleyi, Turpinia occide ntalis, and Vochysia ferruginea. Because literature data on the chemistry o f Bombacopsis (= Pachira) quinata, Lozania Dittieri, Mouriri myrtilloides, Olmedia aspera (= Trophis caucana), Pseudobombax septenatum. and Stylogyne standleyi, are lacking, and similar data on the other six species are defic ient, further fractionation and isolation work on these active species pote ntially may yield novel, biologically active structures. This study demonst rates that a plot-based selection of plant species for evaluation of their potential,medicinal/ pharmaceutical value has merit in achieving such a goa l, and should be used in a program on plant drug discovery.