Cytotoxic Triterpenoids from the Fruits of Zizyphus jujuba
Sang Myung Lee1
, Bung Sun Min2
, Cheal-Gyu Lee3
, Kab-Sig Kim1
, Yung Hee Kho2
1KT&G Central Research Institute, Yuseong, Daejon, Korea
2Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yusong, Daejon, Korea
3Department of Environmental Engineering, Chongju University, Chongju, Korea
This research was supported by a grant (code PF002107-00) from Plant Diversity Research Center of 21st Frontier Research Program funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of Korean Government
The following eleven triterpenoic acids were isolated from the fruits of Zizyphus jujuba (Rhamnaceae): colubrinic acid, alphitolic acid, 3-O-cis-p-coumaroylalphitolic acid (3), 3-O-trans-p-coumaroylalphitolic acid (4), 3-O-cis-p-coumaroylmaslinic acid, 3-O-trans-p-coumaroylmaslinic acid, betulinic acid (7), oleanolic acid, betulonic acid (9), oleanonic acid and zizyberenalic acid. The in vitro cytotoxicities of the triterpenoic acids against K562, B16(F-10), SK-MEL-2, PC-3, LOX-IMVI, and A549 tumor cell lines were investigated by the sulforhodamin B (SRB) method. Among these compounds, the lupane-type triterpenes, such as compounds 3, 4, 7, and 9, showed high cytotoxic activities. In particular, the cytotoxic activities of 3-O-p-coumaroylalphitolic acids (compounds 3 and 4) were better than those of non-coumaroic triterpenenoids (compounds 7 and 9). These results suggest that the coumaroyl moiety at the C-3 position of the lupane-type triterpene may play an important role in enhancing cytotoxic activity.
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