Preliminary antiproliferative effects of some species of Terminalia, Combretum and Pteleopsis collected in Tanzania on some human cancer cell lines

Methanolic extracts (25 microug/ml) of species belonging to the genera of Combretum, Terminalia and Pteleopsis, collected during a field expedition in Tanzania in 1999, were screened for their antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects against three human cancer cell lines (HeLa, cervical carcinoma; T 24, bladder carcinoma; and MCF 7, breast carcinoma). A leaf extract of Combretum fragrans and a fruit extract of C. zeyheri gave the strongest antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of all the twenty-four extracts screened in this investigation. In contrast to the highly powerful leaf extract of C. fragrans, the root extract of this species gave no cytotoxic effects against the investigated cancer cell lines at a concentration of 25 microg/ml. The other investigated species of Combretum and Terminalia differed greatly in their cytotoxic potential. Root extracts of Terminalia sambesiaca and T. sericea gave the strongest cytotoxic effects of the five species of Terminalia used in this study. Eight of the twenty-four investigated plant extracts showed pronounced cytotoxic effects (<30% proliferation compared to the control) against the T 24 bladder cancer cells, seven against the HeLa cells and four against the MCF 7 cells.     

Cytotoxic activity of some Asarum plants

The cytotoxic activity against some tumor cell lines of 16 commonly used species of Asarum was evaluated in this study. All of these plants were widely used in Asian countries as traditional medicines or folk medicines. Their inhibitory activities against four tumor cell lines (HL-60, BGC-823, KB and Bel-7402) were compared. It was observed that 10 of the tested extracts (eight ethanol extracts and two water extracts) among 32 extracts of these plants showed cytotoxic activity. Those 95% ethanol extractions from A. caudigerellum, A. forbesii, A. inflatum and A. maximum exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity, and 95% ethanol extracts or water extracts of A. sieboldii var. seoulense, A. himalaicum, A. splendens and A. crispulatum showed selective activity against one or two cells among the tested tumor cells. This is the first report of Asarum plants possessing cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines.     

Cytotoxic activity of Ozoroa insignis from Zimbabwe

The crude methanol bark extract of the Zimbabwean medicinal plant, Ozoroa insignis, showed in-vitro cytotoxic activity against Hep-G2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), MDA-MB-231 (human mammary adenocarcinoma), and 5637 (human primary bladder carcinoma). Bioactivity-directed chromatographic separation led to isolation of anacardic acid and ginkgoic acid as the cytotoxic components.     

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of Carthamus lanatus

Total dichloromethane, methanol and water extracts, their fractions as well as volatiles of Carthamus lanatus aerial parts were phytochemically screened and evaluated for antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activity. The H(2)O/MeOH fraction of the CH(2)Cl(2) extract exhibited noticeable antibacterial activity. The same fraction and the volatiles showed significant cytotoxic activity.     

Cytotoxic activity of lignans from Hibiscus cannabinus

The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of six lignans isolated from the core and bark acetone extracts of Hibiscus cannabinus have been investigated. Two compounds (2 and 3) showed strong cytotoxic activity against HeLa, Hep-2 and A-549 cell lines while compound 5 showed moderate activity on HeLa cells when they were in advanced stage of cellular division. The compounds did not exhibit antimicrobial activity.     

Pentacyclic triterpenes from the resin of Liquidambar formosana

Two new pentacyclic triterpenes and eight known pentacyclic triterpenes were isolated from the petroleum ether extract of Liquidambaris Resina. The structural elucidation of these compounds was determined by spectroscopic data interpretation. Their cytotoxic and antiplatelet aggregation activities were examined to find potent cytotoxic and antiplatelet aggregation compounds from natural resources. The results showed that 3-keto oleane triterpenes had strong cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-435S cancer cells and that 28-carboxyl oleane triterpenes possessed significant inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by ADP.     

Antiviral and cytotoxic activities of some Indonesian plants

Ten methanolic extracts from eight Indonesian medicinal plants were phytochemically screened and evaluated for antiviral (HSV-1 and Poliovirus) and cytotoxic activities on murine and human cancer lines (3LL, L1210, K562, U251, DU145, MCF-7). Besides Melastoma malabathricum (Melastomataceae), the Indonesian Loranthaceae species among which Elytranthe tubaeflora, E. maingayi, E. globosa and Scurrula ferruginea exhibited attractive antiviral and cytotoxic activities. Piper aduncum (Piperaceae) was found active on Poliovirus. S. ferruginea was selected for further studies because of its activity on the U251 glioblastoma cells.     

A new cytotoxic guaianolide from Chrysanthemum boreale

A new cytotoxic guaianolide was isolated from Chrysanthemum boreale Makino. The structure of guaianolide was elucidated as 8-acetoxy-4,10-dihydroxy-2,11(13)-guaiadiene-12,6-olide (1). Compound 1 exhibited cytotoxic activity (IC(50)< or =4 microg/ml) against all five human cancer cell lines tested.     

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of Trapa bispinosa

The extracts of Trapa bispinosa showed interesting antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative test organisms and significant cytotoxic activity.     

Norditerpenoids from Salvia castanea Diels f. pubescens

Three new norditerpenoids, castanol A-C (1-3), along with eighteen known diterpenoids, were isolated from Salvia castanea Diels f. pubescens. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against five human cancer cell lines. The known compounds neo-tanshinlactone (12) and methyltanshinoate (17) exhibited significant cytotoxic activities against some cells.     

Effect of Aerva lanata on solid tumor induced by DLA cells in mice

Aerva lanata whole plant was extracted with petroleum ether, methanol and acetone. The partially TLC-purified fraction (PEF) of petroleum ether extract was proved to be cytotoxic to Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA), Ehrlich ascites (EA) and B16F10 cell lines in vitro. Since PEF was found to be more cytotoxic to DLA cell lines, it was used to study the pharmacological effect and its potential to reduce solid tumor induced by DLA cell lines in mice. The result indicated that PEF significantly reduced the development of solid tumor in mice.     

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of Ruta graveolens

The methanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and water-methanol extracts of Ruta graveolens were found to possess antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.     

Bio-guided isolation of the cytotoxic corytenchine and isocoreximine from roots of Annona cherimolia

The roots of Annona cherimolia have been shown to contain the known tetrahydroprotoberberine alkaloids corytenchine (1) and isocoreximine (2), investigated for their cytotoxic properties.     

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic constituents of Loranthus globosus

(+)-Catechin, 3,4-dimethoxycinnamyl alcohol and 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamyl alcohol were isolated from the barks of Loranthus globosus. All compounds showed significant antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.     

Antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of Miliusa velutina.

Goniothalamusin and two mixtures, acetogenins-A and acetogenins-B, isolated from a petroleum ether extract of the stem bark of Miliusa velutina exhibited significant antibacterial and cytotoxic activities.     

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of Zanthoxylum budrunga

The petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol extracts of the leaves and barks of Zanthoxylum budrunga have been evaluated for their antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic properties.     

Antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of Albertisia delagoensis

Leaves and rhizome methanol extracts of Albertisia delagoensis tested positive against Plasmodium falciparum, with a very low cytotoxic activity in leaves against the Graham cell line.     

Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of naphthalene derivatives from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diospyros kaki</Emphasis>

4,8-Dihydroxy-5-methoxy-2-naphthaldehyde (Compound I) was isolated from blackened heartwood of Diospyros kaki and was methylated with diazomethane. Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of Compound I and two methylated derivatives [4-hydroxy-5,8-dimethoxy-2-(2-oxopropyl)-naphthalene (D-1) and 2-glycidyl-4-hydroxy-5,8-dimethoxy naphthalene (D-2)] were evaluated. Compound I showed higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and reducing power than D-1 and D-2. However, D-1 and D-2 exhibited slightly stronger 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)⁺ (ABTS⁺) radical scavenging activity than Compound I. Compound I also exhibited stronger cytotoxic activity than D-1 and D-2 against the growth of HT-29 colon cancer cells. The results supported the hypothesis that methylation of naphthalene derivatives slightly increased ABTS⁺ radical scavenging activity, but significantly decreased DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and cytotoxic activity.     

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic constituents from the seeds of Annona squamosa

Annotemoyin-1, Annotemoyin-2, squamocin and cholesteryl glucopyranoside were isolated from the seeds of Annona squamosa. These compounds and plant extracts showed remarkable antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.     

An unusual taxodione derivative from hairy roots of Salvia austriaca

From a root culture of Salvia austriaca, transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes, a new diterpenoid was isolated and its chemical structure was determined as 7-(2-oxohexyl)-11-hydroxy-6, 12-dioxo-7,9(11),13- abietatriene [= 7-(2-oxohexyl)-taxodione] on the basis of spectroscopic methods, especially 1D and 2D NMR, and by comparison with structurally related compounds. This compound represents a hitherto unknown 2-oxohexyl diterpenoid derivative. Cytotoxic studies revealed that the new compound exhibited high cytotoxic activity against three cancer cell lines with IC(50) values ranging from 0.63 to 0.72μM. Its cytotoxic effectiveness against the cancer cells was ten fold higher than that of taxodione.