Bioactivity of Fractions and Pure Compounds from Jatropha Cordata Bark Extracts

The research identified and tested bioactive compounds from the bark of Jatropha cordata, a plant traditionally used for anti-inflammatory treatment. The compounds campesteryl palmitate, n-heptyl ferulate, and a mixture of four sterols were isolated and tested for their anti-inflammatory activity. The results showed that none of the compounds were cytotoxic at the concentrations used. The compound n-heptyl ferulate and the mixture of sterols exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity, reducing the concentration of Nitric Oxide (NO) by 30.61% at 30 μg/mL. The mixture of sterols also showed potential activity against androgenic alopecia as they were potential inhibitors of 5α-reductase1. The study concluded that the ethyl acetate extract obtained from Jatropha cordata bark is a potential source of bioactive compounds with significant anti-inflammatory activity.