(±)-Quassidines I and J, two pairs of cytotoxic bis-β-carboline alkaloid enantiomers from Picrasma quassioides

J Nat Prod. 2015 Jan 23;78(1):125-30. doi: 10.1021/np500801s. Epub 2014 Dec 15.

Abstract

(±)-Quassidines I (1) and J (2), two pairs of new bis-β-carboline alkaloid enantiomers, were isolated from the stems of Picrasma quassioides. Their structures were determined by the analysis of spectroscopic data, including HRESIMS and 2D NMR, and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The racemic mixtures of 1 and 2 were resolved into two pairs of enantiomers, (+)-S-1a and (-)-R-1b and (+)-S-2a and (-)-R-2b, by HPLC using a chiral Daicel IB-3 column, respectively, which represents the first successful example to resolve bis-β-carboline racemic mixtures. The absolute configurations of the two pairs of enantiomers were determined by comparison between the calculated and experimental ECD spectra. The cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that (+)-S-1a and (+)-S-2a showed more potent cytotoxicity against human cervical HeLa and gastric MKN-28 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 4.03-6.30 μM than their enantiomers with IC50 values of 9.64-12.3 μM; however, the two (+)-S-quassidines showed similar activities to their enantiomers against the mouse melanoma B-16 cancer cell line.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / chemistry
  • Alkaloids / isolation & purification*
  • Animals
  • Carbolines / chemistry
  • Carbolines / isolation & purification*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Picrasma / chemistry*
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Carbolines
  • quassidine I