Armelle Tsamo Tontsa

PhD Overview

My Ph.D. research centered on the chemical and biological investigation of two Cameroonian medicinal plants, Trichilia welwitschii and Trichilia rubescens, both from the Meliaceae family and traditionally used to treat malaria. Through extensive phytochemical analysis, we isolated 25 terpenoid compounds, including seven novel limonoids named rubescins A to G. Structural elucidation was achieved using advanced spectroscopic techniques and hemi-synthetic transformations. Several compounds demonstrated significant antiplasmodial, antioxidant, antiviral, and anticancer activities. These findings not only enhance our understanding of African medicinal flora but also highlight their potential as sources of novel therapeutic agents.