Two new bicyclic sulfoxides from Welsh onion.

Newly identified bicyclic sulfoxides, welsonins A1 (1) and A2 (2), were isolated from acetone extracts of the bulbs of the Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum). In this study, the structures of 1 and 2, which are tetrahydrothiophene-S-oxide derivatives, were characterized by spectroscopic analysis. These compounds appeared to be derived from the coupling of 1-propenyl sulfenic acid and uronic acid. Welsonin A1 (1) showed the potential to suppress tumor-cell proliferation by inhibiting the polarization of alternatively activated M2 macrophages.