Antibacterial, antifungal, antiplasmodial, and cytotoxic activities of Albertisia villosa.

Albertisia villosa (Menispermaceae) is a subtropical medicinal plant that is widely used in traditional African medicines against various diseases. Three known bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids; cycleanine, cocsoline, and N-desmethylcycleanine have been identified. Cycleanine, the most abundant (85%) of all identified bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, accounts for all of the activity of the crude drug. The biological screening of cycleanine and the root bark alkaloidal extract revealed potent antibacterial, antifungal, antiplasmodial, and cytotoxic activities. These results may partly explain and support the use of Albertisia villosa root barks for the treatment of malaria and other infectious diseases in traditional Congolese medicine.