Quassinoids from Brucea antidysenterica

Forty-five quassinoids isolated from the three Simaroubaceous plants, Brucea javanica, Brucea antidysenterica and Picrasma ailanthoides, and fourteen isolated from Ailanthus altissima were tested for Okano et al. [106-108] for their inhibitory activities using a short-term in vitro assay of the EBV-EA activation induced by TP A in Raji cells. 

C28H36O11, Mr 548.59, cryst., mp. 225-226°C, [a] -27.7° (pyridine). Quassinoid with antileukemic activity from the tree Brucea antidysenterica (Simarou-baceae). lDjq (mouse i.v.) male 1.95 mg/kg, female 2.58 mg/kg. 

Several quassinoids are known to have antileukemic activity (Blasko and Cordell, 1988 Cordell, 1978 Polonsky, 1983). Only compounds with a C20 skeleton have antileukemic activity. Quassimarin (51) from Quassia amara and bruceoside A (52) from Brucea javanica and a series of other quassinoids from Brucea antidysenterica (all Simarou-baceae) (Fig. 25.12) are active in this regard. Bruceantin (53) has a high degree of antitumor activity in P-388, LE, LL and B16 tissue culture systems (Cordell, 1978). Six quassinoids from Simaba multiflora and Soulamea soulameoides were shown to be active against several mmor systems (Klocke et al., 1985). 

Imamura K, Fukamiya N, Nakamura M, Okano M, Tagahara K, Lee KH (1995) Bruceanols G and H, cytotoxic quassinoids from Brucea antidysenterica. J Nat Prod 58 1915-1919... 

Okano M, Lee KH, Hall IH, Boettner FE 1981 Antitumor agents. 39. Bruceantinoside-A and -B novel antileukemic quassinoid glucosides from Brucea antidysenterica. J Nat Prod 44 470-473... 

Kupchan, S. M., R. W. Britton, J. A. Lacadie, M. F. Ziegler, and C. W. Sigel The Isolation and Structural Elucidation of Bruceantin and Bruceantinol, New Potent Antileukemic Quassinoids from Brucea antidysenterica. J. Org. Chem. 40, 648... 

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