Abstract
A new sesquiterpenoid (‒)-ethyl dihydrophaseate (1) was isolated from the stems and leaves of Polyalthia petelotii, together with two clerodane diterpenoids, 16α-hydroxycleroda-3,13(14)Z-dien-15,16-olide (2), 15-hydroxy-cis-ent-cleroda-3,13(E)-diene (3), a eudesmane sesquiterpenoid, eudesm-4(15)-ene-7α,11-diol (4), an aromatic aldehyde, vanillin (5), a bisisoquinolines alkaloid, spinosine (6) and an aporphine alkaloid, (‒)-oliveroline-β-N-oxide (7). Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 2D-NMR techniques. Compounds 3, 4 and 6 were isolated from the genus Polyalthia for the first time and the others obtained originally from P. petelotii. The isolates were assessed for their cytotoxicity against five human tumour lines (HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7 and SW-480), and the result showed that only 2 displayed weak inhibitory activity.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Funding
This work was supported by the Yunnan Province of China for basic research in social development [grant number 2009CC018].