Planta Med 2008; 74(15): 1806-1811
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1088325
Original Paper
Natural Products Chemistry
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Isolation and Cytotoxicity of the Lignanoids from Chamaecyparis formosensis

Tai-Hung Chen1 , Bing-Chung Liau1 , Sheng-Yang Wang2 , Ting-Ting Jong1
  • 1Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
  • 2Department of Forestry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
Further Information

Publication History

Received: July 2, 2008 Revised: August 24, 2008

Accepted: September 1, 2008

Publication Date:
10 November 2008 (online)

Abstract

In this study, we assessed the antitumor activity of the methanol extract from wood chips of the heartwood of the Taiwan red cypress, Chamaecyparis formosensis Matsumura, which is a precious tree species endemic to Taiwan. A brine shrimp lethality test (BST) indicated that the ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble extract from the MeOH extract was a suitable candidate (LC50 = 15.36 μg/mL) for further studies of the antitumor activity of its components. From this EtOAc fraction, we isolated six lignans and two norlignans and tested their cytotoxic activities in vitro against promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) and hepatoma (Hepa-G2) cell lines. Among these compounds, 7,7′-(S)-dihydrotaiwanin C, isolated for the first time from nature, with its single crystal structure depicted in this study, exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against HL-60 cell lines in vitro (IC50 = 4.03 μg/mL) after 24 hours.

Abbreviations

BST:brine shrimp lethality test

Hepa-G2:human hepatoma

HL-60:human leukemia

IC50:half-maximal inhibitory concentration

SARs:structure-activity relationships

AS:adenine sulfate

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Prof. Ting-Ting Jong

Department of Chemistry

National Chung Hsing University

250 Kuo-Kuang Road

Taichung 402

Taiwan

R.O.C.

Phone: +886-4-2284-0411 ext: 701

Email: ttjong@mail.nchu.edu.tw

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