A novel in vitro assay for the discovery of anticancer agents was used to examine aqueous and organic extracts from 1847 plants collected mainly in the U.S. Southwest and West. The assay results were separated into 5 categories: inactive (62%), equally active (36%), equally active and potent (0.5%),
Two new isoflavones, fremontin and fremontone, were isolated from roots of Psorothamnus fremontii (Fabaceae), a desert plant. Compound 1 has the structure 5'-(alpha, alpha-dimethylallyl)-5,7,2',4'-tetrahydroxyisoflavone; compound 2 is similar but also contains the 3'-(gamma,gamma-dimethylallyl)