Triterpenoids isolated from Jatropha macrantha (Müll. Arg.) inhibit the NF-κB and HIF-1α pathways in tumour cells

Abstract

Activity-guided fractionations of Jatropha macrantha Müll. Arg. led to the isolation of pomolic acid (1) and euscaphic acid (2). The potential for inhibition against NF-κB and HIF-1α production of these two compounds was tested in different tumour cell lines. Compounds 1 and 2 showed an inhibitory activity of HIF-1α in the SK-MEL-28 (IC₅₀=3.01 ± 0.02 μM and 3.78 ± 0.02 μM), A549 (IC₅₀=9.97 ± 0.01 μM and 10.25 ± 0.01 μM) and U-373 MG (IC₅₀=6.34 ± 0.02 μM and 8.85 ± 0.02 μM) cell lines. In addition, compounds 1 and 2 showed an inhibitory activity on NF-κB in SK-MEL-28 (IC₅₀=1.05 ± 0.02 μM and 2.71 ± 0.01 μM), A549 (IC₅₀=3.63 ± 0.01 μM and 3.73 ± 0.02 μM) and U-373 MG (IC₅₀=2.55 ± 0.02 μM and 3.39 ± 0.01 μM) cell lines. This is the first report that isolates these compounds from J. macrantha and tests their antitumor potential.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Euphorbiaceae
• Jatropha macrantha
• NF-κB
• HIF-1α
• Sterols
• Triterpenoids

Author contributions

LAT and ARS contributed to the analysis of the spectral data; LAT and GP contributed to the conception and experimental design of the pharmacological study and LAT and FA contributed to the writing and review of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundación de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.