A new triterpenoid saponin and a new ceramide from Cordia myxa

This work is the continuation of a thorough investigation we undertook on Cordia myxa L. a plant species from Boraginacea family. Phytochemical study of the methanol extract of roots led to the isolation of six metabolites including four known compounds, corosolic acid ( 1 ), asiatic acid ( 2 ), D -pinitol ( 3 ), 3- O -[α- L -rhamnopyranosyl-(1′′→3′)-(6 -O -acétyl-β- D -glucopyranosyl)]-22β hydroxyolean-12-ène ( 4 ), and two compounds reported here for the first time, myxaoside B ( 3- O- [α- L -rhamnopyranosyl]-(1′’’→2′′)-(4′′-O-acetyl-β- D -glucopyranosyl-(1′′’→2′)-β- D -glucopyranosyl)-22β, 24β-dihydroxyolean-12-ene) ( 5 ) and myxamide (2S,3S,4 R)-2N-[(2′R,7′E)-2′-hydroxy-pentacosanoyl]-hentriacontan-1,3,4-triol ( 6 ). Their structures were determined using chemical and spectroscopic techniques. The anticonvulsant activity showed that compounds 4 and 5 significantly increased pre- and post-status epilepticus latency and decreased the number and duration of tonic-clonic seizures. These compounds also may act on the GABAergic system by potentiation of GABA A receptors and the enhancement of GABAergic activity as well as inhibition of glutamatergic transmission at the level of neurons thus decreasing seizure activity.