Investigation of the ethanol extract of the corms of Liatris spicata (L.) willd led to the isolation of two sterols: stigmasterol and its 3-O-glucoside, a triterpene: obtusifoliyl acetate, two benzofurans: euparin and 6-hydroxy-3-methoxytremetone, three phenolic acids: protocatechuic, vanillic and ferulic acid and a sesquiterpene lactone igalan. The structures of the isolated compounds were established on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis (IR, EI/MS, 1H NMR and 13C NMR). The ethanol extract and its isolated compounds evidenced cytotoxic activities against human liver cancer cell line (HepG2), where igalan showed the highest potency (3.83 ± 0.043) μg/mL, its effect was comparable to that of the standard drug doxorubicin® (3.73 ± 0.036) μg/mL.
Keywords: Liatris spicata; cytotoxic activities; igalan.