Antiplasmodial and leishmanicidal activity of biflavonoids from Indian Selaginella bryopteris

Eleven derivatives of amentoflavone and hinokiflavone from the Indian herb Selaginella bryopteris have been investigated for antiprotozoal activity using in vitro assays against Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania donovani and Trypanosoma spp. Highest antiprotozoal activity was displayed by 7,4′,7″-tri-O-methylamentoflavone against the K1 strain with an IC50 of 0.26 μM and a cytotoxicity evaluated using L-6 cells of >160 μM, respectively.