We investigated the antiplasmodial activity of some pure compounds of
Turreanthus africanus
(Meliaceae), a plant that is used in traditional medicine to treat malaria in Southwest Cameroon. A phytochemical analysis of the methylene chloride: methanol (1:1) extract of the seeds of the plant yielded seven compounds. Four of them, which were oils, were subjected to
in vitro bioassays on
Plasmodium falciparum
F 32, chloroquine sensitive strain. Compound 1 (16-oxolabda-8 (17), 12(E)-dien-15-oic acid), showed the highest antiplasmodial activity, two others (methyl-14,15-epoxylabda-8 (17), 12(E)-diene-16-oate, and turreanin A), had moderate activity and one was inactive. These findings are consistent with the use of
T. africanus in the traditional treatment of
P. falciparum malaria.