title: A new β-carboline alkaloid from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the chemical constituents from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia Baill.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by a combination of chromatographic materials including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative TLC. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of MS and NMR data analysis. The cytotoxic activities were evaluated against HepG2 cancer cell line using the MTT colorimetric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A new β-carboline alkaloid, griffonine (1), together with seven known alkaloids, hyrtioerectine B (2), 3-carboxy-6-hydroxy-β-carboline (3), hyrtiosulawesine (4), 5-hydroxyindole-3-carbaldehyde (5), 5-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxyethyl) indole (6), trigonelline (7), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (8) were isolated and identified. Alkaloids 1, 2 and 4 showed growth inhibitory effects on the HepG2 cell line with IC50 values of 23.5, 9.6 and 19.3 μmol·L(-1), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alkaloid 1 is new and was named griffonine. Alkaloids 2-7 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Alkaloids 1, 2 and 4 were potentially cytotoxic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fei-Hua
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Jing-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D002243:Carbolines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D031295:Griffonia / Q000737:chemistry*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D002243:Carbolines; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Alkaloids; Cytotoxicity; Griffonia simplicifolia seeds; New β-carboline alkaloid