A new sesquiterpene, namely linderolide U (1), was isolated from the root of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm along with five known sesquiterpenes (2-6). The structures of the obtained compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods, specifically nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS). The acquired data were compared with those previously reported in the literature. The anticancer effects of the isolated natural products were studied using the HCT116 human colon cancer cell line. Compound 5 was found to significantly suppress cell proliferation, which was associated with induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest (G2/M and S phase). The findings of the present study suggest derivative 5 as a potential agent for the treatment of colon cancer.
Keywords: Lauraceae; Lindera aggregata; anticancer; apoptosis; sesquiterpene.