Phytother Res. 2002 Nov; 16(7): 683-5.

Antitubercular constituents from the hexane fraction of Morinda citrifolia Linn. (Rubiaceae).

Saludes JP, Garson MJ, Franzblau SG, Aguinaldo AM.

Research Center for the Natural Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Espana, Manila 1008, Philippines.

A crude ethanol extract and hexane fraction from Morinda citrifolia Linn. (Rubiaceae) show antitubercular activity. The major constituents of the hexane fraction are E-phytol, cycloartenol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, campesta-5,7,22-trien-3beta-ol and the ketosteroids stigmasta-4-en-3-one and stigmasta-4-22-dien-3-one. E-Phytol, a mixture of the two ketosteroids, and the epidioxysterol derived from campesta-5,7,22-trien-3beta-ol all show pronounced antitubercular activity.Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.