title: Differential cytotoxic activity of the petroleum ether extract and its furanosesquiterpenoid constituents from Commiphora molmol resin.
abstract: This study revealed a differential cytotoxic activity of the petroleum ether extract (IC₅₀ =5 μg/mL) of the resinous exudates of Commiphora molmol against two mouse cell lines KA31T and NIH3T3 (untransformed and transformed mouse fibroblasts, respectively). Four new compounds (1-4) and five known compounds (5-9) were isolated from the petroleum ether extract. The identity of these new compounds was determined as γ-elemane lactone (1), 5-αH,8-βH-eudesma-1,3,7(11)-trien-8,12-olide (2), 2-hydroxy-11,12-dihydrofuranodiene (3), and 2-hydroxyfuranodiene (4). 1 and 2 displayed the highest cytotoxic activity against NIH3T3 cells. 7 and 9 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against KA31T cells. Compounds 3-6 showed weak cytotoxic activities against both cell lines. These results may explain the high efficacy of the petroleum ether fraction in several myrrh-derived pharmaceutical preparations.
authors.forename: Seif-Eldin N
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ayyad
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Hoye
authors.forename: Walied M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Alarif
authors.forename: Sana'a M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Al Ahmadi
authors.forename: Salim A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Basaif
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ghandourah
authors.forename: Farid A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Badria
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D029744:Commiphora / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C004544:naphtha