Antiproliferative Bufadienolides from the Bulbs of Drimia altissima

J Nat Prod. 2021 Mar 26;84(3):608-615. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c01079. Epub 2021 Jan 21.

Abstract

The bulbs of the South African Drimia altissima (Asparagaceae or Hyacinthaceae sensu APGII) have yielded a range of previously undescribed bufadienolides, drimianins A-G (1-7), the known bufadienolides bovogenin A (8), 3β-O-β-d-glucopyranosylbovogenin A (9), scillaren F (10), and altoside (11), the known homoisoflavonoid (3S)-3-(4'-methoxybenzyl)-5,6,7-trimethoxychroman-4-one (urgineanin C), the sesquiterpenoids 1β,6α-dihydroxy-4(15)-eudesmene and 6α-hydroxy-4(15)-eudesmen-1-one, polybotrin, adenosine, and 9R-hydroxy-(10E,12Z)-octadecadienoic acid ethyl ester. The bufadienolides isolated were tested at 10 μM in the NCI-60 cancer cell screen, and nine of these were selected for further screening at five concentrations. Drimianins C (3) and E (5) showed activity at the nanomolar level against a number of human cancer cell lines in the NCI-60 screen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Bufanolides / isolation & purification
  • Bufanolides / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drimia / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Phytochemicals / isolation & purification
  • Phytochemicals / pharmacology
  • Plant Roots / chemistry
  • South Africa

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Bufanolides
  • Phytochemicals