Characterization of potential hypoglycaemic agents from Tapinanthus sessilifolius parasitic on Psidium guajava

Tapinanthus sessilifolius (Loranthaceae) (P. Beauv) Blume. commonly known as African mistletoe is a well-known medicinal plant in Africa and Europe. A bioassay-guided isolation of the plant constituents was carried out to identify potential anti-hyperglycemic agents. The hexane extract was discovered to be active which yielded two triterpenoids; betulinic acid and lupeol, responsible for the activity and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques. Other compounds from this plant identified by GC-MS technique were palmitic acid, hexadecanoic acid and stearic acid.