[Studies on chemical constituents in fruit of Alpinia oxyphylla].

OBJECTIVE

To study the chemical constituents in fruit of Alpinia oxyphylla and their cytotoxicities on cancer cell lines.

METHODS

Compounds were isolated and purified by various column chromatographic methods. Their structures were determined by physico-chemical properties and spectral analyses. Compound cytotoxicity was assessed by the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay.

RESULTS

Eight compounds were obtained from Me2CO-H2O (70%) extract of the fruit of A. oxyphylla and their structures were identified as: (9E)-humulene-2, 3; 6, 7-diepoxide (1), 3(12), 7(13), 9(E)-humulatriene-2, 6-diol (2), (-)-oplopanone (3), yakuchinone A (4), yakuchinone B (5), tectochrysin (6), isovanillin (7), (2E, 4E)-6-hydroxy-2, 6-dimethylhepta-2, 4-dienal (8), and the cytotoxicities of compounds 1, 3-5 on cancer cell lines, A549, HT-29 and SGC-7901, were also investigated.

CONCLUSIONS

Compounds 1-3, 7, 8 were isolated for the first time from this genus and compounds 1, 3-5 exhibited no cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines at a concentration of 10 mg x L(-1).