Antineoplastic agents 338. The cancer cell growth inhibitory. Constituents of Terminalia arjuna (Combretaceae).
By means of bioassay-guided separation methods, the cancer cell growth inhibitory constituents residing in the bark, stem and leaves of the Mauritius medicinal plant Terminalia arjuna (Combretaceae) were examined. The cancer cell line active components were found to be gallic acid, ethyl gallate, and the flavone luteolin. Only gallic acid was previously known to occur in this plant. Luteolin has a well established record of inhibiting various cancer cell lines and may account for most of the rationale underlying the use of T. arjuna in traditional cancer treatments. Luteolin was also found to exhibit specific activity against the pathogenic bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Pettit
G R
GR
Cancer Research Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-1604, USA.
Hoard
M S
MS
Doubek
D L
DL
Schmidt
J M
JM
Pettit
R K
RK
Tackett
L P
LP
Chapuis
J C
JC
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003470:Culture Media; D005100:Expectorants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D047311:Luteolin; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D005100:Expectorants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; C048734:ethyl gallate; D005707:Gallic Acid; D047311:Luteolin