Cytotoxic Cycloartane Triterpenes of the Traditional Chinese Medicine “Shengma” (Cimicifuga dahurica)

Abstract

Twelve new 9,19-cycloartane triterpenes (1–12), together with fourteen known compounds (13–26), were isolated from the roots of Cimicifuga dahurica. Their structures were determined by application of spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods. Biological evaluation of the compounds against human HL-60, SMMC-7721, A549, MCF-7, and SW-480 cell lines indicated that cimigenol-type glycosides (1–3, 19, and 20) showed broad-spectrum and moderate cytotoxicities, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 4.2 to 14.5 µM. Meanwhile, cimigenol-type aglycones (6–8, 15, 16, and 18) exhibited broad-spectrum and week cytotoxicities, having IC₅₀ values around 20 µM. In addition, the key points of the structure-activity relationships of aglycones with a cimigenol skeleton were discussed.

Key words

Ranunculaceae - Cimicifuga dahurica - cycloartane triterpenes - cytotoxicity - structure-activity relationships

• References

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