Steroids from the leaves of Chinese Melia azedarach and their cytotoxic effects on human cancer cell lines

Steroids. 2009 Sep;74(9):761-5. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2009.04.005. Epub 2009 Apr 18.

Abstract

Three new (1-3) and several known (4-6) steroids were isolated from the leaves of Chinese Melia azedarach. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods including 2D NMR techniques and mass spectrometry to be (20S)-5,24(28)-ergostadiene-3beta,7alpha,16beta,20-tetrol (1), (20S)-5-ergostene-3beta,7alpha,16beta,20-tetrol (2), and 2alpha,3beta-dihydro-5-pregnen-16-one (3). The cytotoxicities of the isolated compounds against three human cancer cell lines (A549, H460, U251) were evaluated; only compounds 1, 2, and (20S)-5-stigmastene-3beta,7alpha,20-triol (4) were found to show significant cyctotoxic effects with IC(50)s from 12.0 to 30.1 microg/mL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / isolation & purification*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / toxicity
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • China
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Melia azedarach / chemistry*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Steroids / chemistry
  • Steroids / isolation & purification*
  • Steroids / pharmacology*
  • Steroids / toxicity

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Steroids