Anti-HIV-1 limonoid: first isolation from Clausena excavata.

A limonoid, clausenolide-1-ethyl ether (1) and two coumarins, dentatin (2) and nor-dentatin (3), were isolated from Clausena excavata. Limonoid 1 was obtained from the crude ethanol extract of the rhizomes and the roots but had not previously been isolated from C. excavata and exhibited HIV-1 inhibitory activity. Coumarins 2 and 3, with their structures related to an anti-HIV-1 substance, (+)-calanolide A (4), were obtained from the crude chloroform extract of the rhizomes. Both induced toxicity to cells used in a syncytium assay for anti-HIV-1 activity. These compounds, 1-3, did not show any cytotoxic effect against KB and BC-1 cell lines (IC(50) value > 20 microgram/mL). Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.