In vitro effects of 2-methyl-3-propylbutane-1,4-diol Purified From Alstonia Boonei on Erythrocyte Membrane Stabilization and Mitochondrial Membrane Permeabilisation

Abstract A recent review on the ethnomedicinal, chemical, pharmacological, and toxicological properties of Alstonia boonei revealed that the plant’s potential in the treatment and management of a range of diseases. However, most of these pharmacological effects are only traceable to crude form of the plant extract and not specific natural products In this study, the membrane stabilizing activity, mitochondrial membrane permeability transition pore opening, cytochrome c release, mitochondrial ATPase activity and prevention of mitochondrial lipid peroxidation activity of 2-methyl-3-propylbutane-1,4-diol (MPBD) isolated from A. boonei were determined. The results showed MPBD significantly (P<0.05) prevented peroxidation of mitochondrial membrane lipids and hemolysis using both the heat-induced and hypotonic solution-induced membrane stabilization assays. On the other hand, the compound caused large amplitude swelling of rat liver mitochondria in the absence of calcium, significant (P<0.05) cytochrome c release and enhancement of mitochondrial ATPase activity in vitro. Our findings suggest that MPBD showed characteristic biological properties useful in modulating cell death.