Cytotoxic C-benzylated chalcone and other constituents of Ellipeiopsis cherrevensis

Abstract

A new natural C-benzylated chalcone, 2',4'-dihydroxy-3'-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-6'-methoxychalcone (2), along with two other flavonoids, tiliroside and kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, and an oxoaporphine alkaloid, lanuginosine were isolated from the aerial parts of Ellipeiopsis cherrevensis (Annonaceae). Two known polyoxygenated cyclohexene derivatives, ferrudiol and zeylenol, and a new analog, ellipeiopsol D, were also isolated. The chalcone 2 exhibited cytotoxic activity against human small-cell lung-cancer (NCI-H187), epidermoid carcinoma (KB) and breast cancer (BC) cell lines with IC50 values of 1.40, 5.31 and 13.92 microg/mL, respectively. This compound also showed antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with an IC50 value of 7.1 microg/mL as well as antimicrobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with a MIC of 25 mg/mL.