Phytolacca dodecandra Phytolaccaceae

Interest in chemical variation in Phytolacca dodecandra L Hert. stems from its potentially important biologically active constituents, perhaps the most significant of which is the mollnscicidal componnd lemmatoxin. Attempts to measure variation within this taxon, which occnrs widely on the African continent, have involved a stndy of morphological featnres (Adams et al., 1989) and the comparative chemical work to be described here (Adams et al., 1990). This more recent study involved analysis of nonpolar constitnents from three populations from Ethiopia, and one 

Taxa and Sites Cmpd-[6] Cmpd-[7] Cmpd-[8] Cmpd-[9] 

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Phytolacca dodecandra (Phytolaccaceae) in Africa geographic variation. Taxon 38 17-26. 

The saponins from Phytolacca dodecandra (Phytolacca-ceae) contain a mixture of triterpene glycosides (mainly based on oleanolic acid) that are highly active against several of die intermediate snail hosts of schistosomiasis. This was first discovered by the observation of dead snails along streams in Ethiopia where the fruits of Phytolacca are used for laundry purposes (Hostettmann, 1985 Hostettmann et al., 1991). To date, one of the most effective sources of moUuscicidal saponins is the fruit of Phytolacca dodecandra (Phytolaccaceae). These fruits contain up to 25% glycosides. 

As shown, LC/ES-MS of saponins gives few fragments and complementary techniques such as MS/MS are needed to obtain more structural information on the sugar sequence. In order to illustrate this approach, the sugar sequence of some saponins of Phytolacca dodecandra L Herit (Phytolaccaceae) were tentatively identified on-line by LC/MS/MS. The dried berries of this plant, are used in Ethiopia as a soap substitute. The molluscicidal properties of their constituents were discovered by Lemma in 1965 and this plant became rapidly of great importance for the local control of schistosomieisis. 

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