Activity-guided isolation of constituents of Cerbera manghas with antiproliferative and antiestrogenic activities

Two new cardenolides, (-)-14-hydroxy-3 beta-(3-O-methyl-6-deoxy-alpha -L-rhamnosyl)-11 alpha ,12 alpha -epoxy-(5 beta ,14 beta ,17 betaH)-card-20 (22)-enolide (1), (-)-14-hydroxy-3 beta-(3-O-methyl-6-deoxy-alpha -L-glucopyranosyl)-11 alpha ,12 alpha -epoxy-(5 beta ,14 beta ,1 7 betaH)-card-20(22)-enolide (2), and a known cardenolide, (-)-17 beta -neriifolin (3), were isolated from the roots of Cerbera manghas as antiproliferative and antiestrogenic principles when evaluated against a human colon cancer cell line (Col2) and the Ishikawa cell line, respectively. Two known lignans, (-)-olivil (4) and (-)-cycloolivil (5), were also isolated but were inactive in the assay systems used. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.