Studies on cytotoxic constituents from the skin of the toad Bufo bufo gargarizans

Abstract

To study the chemical composition of the skin of Bufo bufo gargarizans, many kinds of chromatography methods were used in the isolation procedures, while the structures of isolated compounds were determined on the basis of their NMR and MS spectral analysis. As a result, two new compounds were isolated from its ethanolic extract and characterized as cinobufotalin 3-nonanedioylarginine ester (8) and bufotalin 3-pimeloylarginine ester (14). Furthermore, 13 known compounds were obtained. Isolated bufadienolides showed significant inhibition effect against SMMC-7721 cell lines in vitro.

Keywords:

• Bufo bufo gargarizans
• toad skin
• cinobufotalin 3-nonanedioylarginine ester
• bufotalin 3-pimeloylarginine ester
• cytotoxicity

Acknowledgements

The project was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China (No. 2010J05087). The authors gratefully acknowledge Li Shen, Centre of Analysis and Test, School of Pharmacy, Yantai University for her kind help in the determination of the samples.