title: Cytotoxic Sesquiterpene Lactones from Kauna lasiophthalma Griseb.
abstract: Two new eudesmane derivatives (3 and 8) were isolated from the ethanol extract of the aerial parts of Kaunia lasiophthalma Griseb, together with 14 known eudesmane, germacrane, and guaiane sesquiterpenes, and four flavones. The structures and relative configurations of all the compounds were established by NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The anticancer activity of sesquiterpenes 1, 3, 6-9, 11, 12, 14, and 16 was evaluated in vitro with the breast cancer cell lines HCC1937, JIMT-1, L56Br-C1, MCF-7, and SK-BR-3, and compared with the cytotoxicity in the non-cancerous breast epithelial cell line MCF-10A. All compounds were found to possess anticancer activity, and compound 1 was the most potent in all of the investigated cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging between 2.0 and 6.2 μM. In order to demonstrate the importance of the α-methylene-γ-lactone/ester moiety present in all compounds for the effects on the cells, the methyl cysteine adduct 21 was prepared from 9 and found to be inactive or considerably less potent.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Analysis and Synthesis, Lund University, Getingevägen 60, 221 00, Lund, Sweden. ; Centro de Tecnología Agroindustrial, San Simón University, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
authors.forename: Eliana M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.affiliation: Centre for Analysis and Synthesis, Lund University, Getingevägen 60, 221 00, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.affiliation: Departament of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35A, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Stina M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Oredsson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Analysis and Synthesis, Lund University, Getingevägen 60, 221 00, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Olov
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sterner
keywords: Breast cancer cell lines; Cytotoxicity; Kaunia lasiophthalma; Sesquiterpene lactones