Plant anticancer agents, XLVIII. New cytotoxic flavonoids from Muntingia calabura roots

J Nat Prod. 1991 Jan-Feb;54(1):196-206. doi: 10.1021/np50073a019.

Abstract

From a cytotoxic Et2O-soluble extract of Muntingia calabura roots, twelve new flavonoids were isolated, constituting seven flavans 1-7, three flavones 8, 10, and 12, and two biflavans 9 and 11. The structures of compounds 1-12 were established by the interpretation of spectral data, with the nmr assignments of these constituents being based on 1H-1H COSY, 1H-13C HETCOR, and selective INEPT experiments. This is the first report of the occurrence of 7,8-di-O-substituted flavans, biflavans, and flavones. Most of the isolates demonstrated cytotoxic activity when tested against cultured P-388 cells, with the flavans being more active than the flavones. Furthermore, certain of these structurally related flavonoids exhibited somewhat selective activities when evaluated with a number of human cancer cell lines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Flavonoids / chemistry
  • Flavonoids / isolation & purification
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plants, Medicinal / analysis*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Flavonoids