Biological activity of Guatteria cardoniana fractions

Methanolic extract of leaves and twigs of Guatteria cardoniana R.E. Fries ( Annonaceae), a plant from the Venezuelan rain forest, was separated in alka loid rich fractions and their biological effect on baby hamster kidney (BHK ) cell line was studied. The initial plant extract (FA) induced cell prolif eration, cytotoxicity as well as antiviral activity, depending on the conce ntration used. Further separation of this methanolic extract allowed us to separate these biological activities. The fraction with the highest antivir al activity (F7) was chromatographed and three of the nine alkaloid-rich fr actions obtained, retained this activity. One of them (F(7)11) exhibited th e highest inhibitory effect against a neurotropic Sindbis virus, (NSV). (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.