Cimicifoetisides A and B, two cytotoxic cycloartane triterpenoid glycosides from the rhizomes of Cimicifuga foetida, inhibit proliferation of cancer cells

Abstract

Two new cycloartane-type triterpene glycosides, namely cimicifoetisides A (1) and B (2), along with seven known compounds cimigenol, 25-O-acetylcimigenol, cimigenol 3-O-β-D-xylopyranoside, 12β-hydroxycimigenol 3-O-β-D-xylopyranoside, cimigenol 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranoside, 25-deoxyshengmanol 3-O-β-D-xylopyranoside and cimilactone A, were isolated from the rhizomes of Cimicifuga foetida. Their structures were elucidated as cimigenol 3-O-(2′-O-acetyl)-α-L-arabinopyranoside (1) and 25-O-acetylcimigenol 3-O-(2′-O-acetyl)-α-L-arabinopyranoside (2). Both compounds 1 and 2 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against rat EAC (Ehrlich ascites carcinoma) and MDA-MB-A231 (human breast cancer) cells with IC 50 values of 0.52 and 6.74 μM for 1, and 0.19 and 10.21 μM for 2, suggesting their potential for further investigation as anti-cancer agents. © 2007 Sun et al; licensee Beilstein-Institut.