Isolation of two cassane-type diterpenoids from the root bark of Erythrophleum ivorense A. Chev. (Fabaceae)

Erythrophleum ivorense is a large tree found in the tropical forests of Africa, used to treat certain skin conditions or injuries. This plant species is known for its high content of cassane-type diterpenoids, compounds known for their diverse biological activity. Extraction by maceration in ethanol was followed by successive purifications via silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex® LH-20 gel and preparative HPLC-UV. Structural determination was carried out on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic data, including one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H, ¹³C, COSY, HSQC, HMBC, NOESY) as well as high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). Two cassane-type diterpenoids, namely erythroivorensin and erythrodine, were isolated. The results confirm that cassane-type diterpenoids are chemotaxonomic markers of the genus Erythrophleum.