Anticancer Diterpenoids from African Croton Species

We report the chemistry and anticancer activities of three African Croton species, C. mubango Mull. Arg., C. haumanianus J. Leonard and C. dictyophlebodes Radcl. -Sm. Forty-five previously undescribed diterpenoids and thirty known compounds were isolated from these species. NMR, MS, ECD, and DP4+ methods were used to determine the structures. Thirty diterpenoids were submitted to the NCIʼs Development Therapeutics Programme for testing in the NCI 60 anticancer cell line screening programme. Compounds 1 – 5 ([Fig. 1]) exhibited 100% lethality against colon (HCT-116), melanoma (M14), and renal (786 – 0) cancer cell lines whereas compound 6 gave 99%, 89% and 82% cell lethality against melanoma (MALME-3M), renal (UO-31) and ovarian (IGROV1) cancer cell lines respectively at a concentration of 10 – 5 M [1], [2], [3].

Fig. 1 Anticancer diterpenoids.

Publication History

Article published online:
12 December 2022

• References

• 1 Isyaka MS, Langat MK, Mas-Claret E. et al. Ent-abietane and ent-pimarane diterpenoids from Croton mubango (Euphorbiaceae). Phytochemistry 2020; 170: 112217
• 2 Isyaka MS, Mas-Claret E, Langat MK. et al. Cytotoxic diterpenoids from the leaves and stem bark of Croton haumanianus (Euphorbiaceae). Phytochemistry 2020; 178: 112455
• 3 Musisi JJE, Isyaka MS, Mas-Claret E. et al. Ent-clerodane and ent-trachylobane diterpenoids from the stem bark and root of Croton dictyophlebodes. Phytochemistry 2020; 179: 112487