THE CHEMISTRY OF TOXIC PRINCIPLES FROM MAYTENUS NEMEROSA

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0031-9422(00)80396-9

Maytenus nemerosa has been fractionated systematically by following the toxicity of extracts, partitioned solutions and column chromatographic fractions against coltured KB cells.Several compounds were isolated in this fashion, including 3-oxo-20(29)-lupen-30-al, β-amyrin, 29-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one, 30-hydroxy-20(29)-lupen-3-one, 30-hydroxyfriedelan-3-one and lup-20(29)-ene-3β,30-diol, as well as tingenone, 20-hydroxytingenone and galactitol. 3-Oxo-20(29)-lupen-30-al was shown to be cytotoxic for the first time; the structural basis of this cytotoxicity was investigated, in part, by bioassay of four products obtained by chemical transformation of single, isolated principles.Key Word Index - Maytenus nemerosa; Calestraceae; cytotoxic principles; antineoplastic agents; pentacyclic triterpenes.