Abstract
Diarylheptanoids [curcumin (1), demethoxycurcumin (2), bisdemethoxycurcumin (3), bisdimethoxymethylcurcumin (4), and 1,2-dihydrobis(de-O-methyl)curcumin (5)] were isolated from the methanolic extract of Curcuma longa L. and a new cyclic diarylheptanoid (6) and a known Compound 7 were isolated from fruits of Alnus japonica Steud. Diarylheptanoids (1–3) inhibited farnesyl protein transferase (FPTase) with an IC50 of 29–50 µM. The other compounds very mildly inhibited FPTase, therefore, the inhibitory activity on FPTase very much depends on the structure of diarylheptanoids.
Acknowledgments
This research was financially supported by a grant (code: PF002107-00) from Plant Diversity Research Center of 21st Century Frontier Research Program and by a grant of Biogreen 21 Program of the Rural Development Administration.