Planta Med 2008; 74 - PB135
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084480

Secondary metabolites and cytotoxic activity of the stem bark of Litsea akoensis

IS Chen 1, SY Chang 1, MJ Cheng 1, YH Kuo 2, 3, 4, SJ Lee 5, HS Chang 1
  • 1Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, No.100, Shi-chuan 1st Rd., Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 807, R.O.C
  • 2Tsuzuki Institute for Traditional Medicine, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, No.91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, Taiwan, 404, R.O.C
  • 3Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academic Sinica, No.128, Sec.2, Academia Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, 115, R.O.C
  • 4Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, No.1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan, 107, R.O.C
  • 5Division of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, National Health Research Institute, No.35, Keyan Road, Miaoli, Taiwan, 350, R.O.C

Six new butanolides, two with 1,2-dioxane moieties: litseadioxanin A (=rel-(2E,3S,4R)-dihydro-2-(10-(3,6-dihydro-1,2-dioxin-3-yl)decylidene)-3-hydroxy-4-methylfuran-1(3H)-one (1), litseadioxanin B (=rel- (2Z,3S,4R)-dihydro-2-(10-(3,6-dihydro-1,2-dioxin-3-yl)decylidene)-3-hydroxy-4-methylfuran-1(3H)-one (2), and another four: litseatrinolide A (=rel-(2E,3S,4R)-dihydro-3-hydroxy-2-((E)-11,14-dihydroxytetradec-12-enylidene)-4-methylfuran-1(3H)-one (3), litseatrinolide B (=rel-(2Z,3S,4R)-dihydro-3-hydroxy-2-((E)-11,14-dihydroxytetradec-12-enylidene)-4-methylfuran1-(3H)-one (4), litseakolide D1 (=(2Z,3S,4R)-dihydro-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-(tetradec-13-enylidene)furan-1(3H)-one (5), and litseakolide D2 (=(2E,3S,4R)-dihydro-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-(tetradec-13-enylidene)furan-1(3H)-one (6), were isolated from the stem bark of Litsea akoensis Hay. (Lauraceae), together with six known compounds (7–12). Their structures were characterized by in-depth NMR-spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric analyses. Butanolides 1–4, a mixture of 6 and 8, and 9 were tested against human tumor cells, including MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (non-small-cell lung cancer) and SF-268 (glioblastoma cells) cell lines. Among the isolates, litsenolide B1 (9) exhibited marginal cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, NCI-H460 and SF-268 cell lines in vitro.

Acknowledgements: This work was kindly supported by a grant from the National Science Council of the Republic of China.