Cytotoxic Components of the Extract from the Leaves and Stems of Stauntonia hexaphylla

On the search for anti-cancer compounds from Korean indigenous plant extracts, a bioassay-guided fractionation and chemical investigation of the EtOAc extract from the leaves and stems of Stauntonia hexaphylla resulted in the identification of two active compounds, hederagenin 3-O-α-L-arabinoside (compound 1) and quercetin (compound 2). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including UV, IR, MS, NMR techniques and comparing with the previous data. The cytotoxic effects of fractions and compounds on HCT 116 human colon cancer cells were evaluated using an MTT assay. Quercetin has shown a stronger effect when compared to hederagenin 3-O-α-L-arabinoside. Extraction, isolation, biological evaluation, and structure elucidation of the active compounds will be discussed.