Triterpenes with cytotoxicity from the leaves of Vernicia fordii.

Two new triterpenes, (1α,3β,8α,9β,10α,13α,14β)-9,10-dimethyl-25,26-dinorolean-5-en-1,3-diol (1) and (1α,3β,6β)-olean-12-en-1,3,6-triol (2) were isolated from the leaves of Aleurites fordii, together with five known triterpenes. The structures of isolates were established by one dimensional (1D)- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic data along with MS analysis. Of the isolated compounds, 1, 2 and 4 (daturadiol) displayed moderate cytotoxicities against two or more human cancer cell lines in HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), SK-OV-3 (ovarian carcinoma), A-549 (lung carcinoma) and SNU-1 (gastric carcinoma).