This collaborative project between the University of Kansas and CIFLORPAN of the University of Panama was carried out with an objective to undertake bioprospection studies of Panamanian Flora to explore its potential in discovering novel molecules against tuberculosis, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and parasitic infections.

 Three parcels of 0.1 ha in three national parks: Parque Nacional Chagres (PNCH), Parque Nacional General de Division Omar Torrijos Herrera (PNGDOTH), and Parque Nacional Sarigua (PNS) were established. Two thousand five hundred thirty-seven registers of plants distribuited in 1536 PNC), 708(PNGDOTH) and 293 (PNS) were made. A total of 176 species of plants belonging to 230 genera and 95 families were identified. Two plants Licania kallunkiae and Otoba novogratensis were active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis 37Rv and MDR strains with an IC50 of <6.12ug/mL. These same extracts were also active against Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania mexicana and Trypanosoma cruzi. In cytotoxicity screens against MCF-7, H-460, and SF-268 active plants were: Erythroxylum sp., Enterolobium schomburgkii, Otoba novogratensis, Hymenea courbaril, Rollinia sp., Casearia carymbosa, Miconia argentea, Erythrina fusca, Rauwolfia littoralis, Vourana guianensis, Virola sp., Garcinia, madruno, Inga sapindoides, Casearia sp., and Castilla elastica.

 Twenty five plants were selective inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase: Garcinia madruno, Ziziphus mauritania, Erythrina fusca, Pteridophyta ( Fern), Psychotria capitata, matayba sp., Blakea herreae, Guapira costaricana, Hortia colombiana, Tetrochidium sp., Pithecellobium hymenarifolium, Cordia bicolor, Tetrochidium sp., Casearia corymbosa, Hymenea courbaril, Attalea butyracea, Bellucia pentamera, Indigofera suffruticosa, Machaerium sp., Bursera tomentosa, Alysicarpus vaginalis, Dioclea megacarpa y Talisia nervosa. In butirylcholinesterase screen ten plants were active: Pachira acuatica, Licaria sp., Warszewiczia cocicnea, Rauwolfia lottoralis, Nectandra sp., Neptunia sp., Piper sancti-felicis, Chamaecrista sp., Dussia atropurpurea and Elaeagia nitidifolia. Four plants were selected for bioguided isolation of compounds: Morinda rojoc, Homalomena wendianti, Licania kallunkiae, and Warszewiczia coccinea. A total of seventeen compounds were isolated of which four were new to the literature.