Triterpenoids from Schisandra henryi with cytotoxic effect on leukemia and Hela cells in vitro.

Four known lanostane triterpenoids, schiprolactone A (1), schisanlactone B (2), nigranoic acid (3) and schisandronic acid (4) were isolated from the stems of Schisandra henryi for the first time. Their structures were characterized by IR, MS and NMR techniques. Compounds 1, 2 and 4 showed moderate cytotoxic activity against Leukemia cells in vitro. Cytotoxic activity of compounds 1-4 showed IC50 of 0.0097, 0.01, 0.097 and 0.0099 micromol/mL respectively toward Leukemia cells and IC50 of 0.097, 0.1, 0.097 and 0.099 micromol/mL toward Hela cells respectively. It is the first report that these compounds possess cytotoxic activity on Leukemia and Hela cells.