Antitumour Quassinoids from Brucea javanica and SAR of Brusatol

Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. (Simaroubaceae) is a shrub which is distributed from Southeast to northern Australia. Its seeds, having been used for the treatment of dysentery, malaria and cancer, are known also as a rich source of quassinoids. We report the isolation, structure determination, and cytotoxic activity of new quassinoids and the related glycosides from the seeds of B. javanica. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and chemical evidence. Further we present preparation of analogues of the major constituent, brusatol, with a modified ring A or ring C structures, or different C-21 alkoxy chain lengths and some observations on the chemical reactivity of the ring C moiety, and on the effects of chemical structures on the cytotoxic activity.

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