Note: A new triterpene from Luculia pinciana Hook.

Abstract

A new triterpene named luculiaoic acid A (1), showing inhibitory activity of a leukaemia cell line, along with eleven known compounds, has been isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the stems of Luculia pinciana Hook. All the structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR, MS, and IR methods. The activity to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans of all compounds showed that ursolic acid inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus with an MIC of 0.5 mg ml⁻¹ and an MBC of 10 mg ml⁻¹, and scopletin inhibits Candida albicans with an MIC of 1 mg ml⁻¹ and an MBC of 5 mg ml⁻¹.

Keywords:

• Luculia pinciana Hook.
• Triterpene
• Leukaemia cell line

Acknowledgements

We thank the staff of the analytical group of Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences for measuring spectra, and especially the staff of the National Screening Center of Pharmaceuticals, China.