Cytotoxic farnesyl glycosides from Pittosporum pancheri.

Bioassay guided purification of the ethanolic extract of the bark of New Caledonian Pittosporum pancheri Brongn. and Gris (Pittosporaceae) led to the isolation and characterization of two new farnesyl monoglycosides, pancherins A and B. The structure of these compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic studies. The new compounds displayed a significant activity in the in vitro cytotoxic assay against KB cancer cell line, and pancherin A inhibits weakly farnesyl protein transferase.