Structure and chemotherapeutical activity of a polyisoprenylated benzophenone from the stem bark of Garcinia huillensis.

The stem bark of Garcinia huillensis grown in Zaïre and used in central-African traditional medicine has been subjected to a bioassay-guided fractionation. The chemotherapeutically active petroleum ether extract afforded fatty acids, aliphatic alcohols, triterpenes and a polyisoprenylated benzophenone, which was identified as garcinol, also named camboginol. This compound has been shown to exhibit chemotherapeutical activity gram-positive and gram-negative cocci, mycobacteria and fungi. On the other hand garcinol has been found to be inactive against gram-negative enteric bacilli, yeasts and viruses.