New isoprenylated flavones, artochamins A--E, and cytotoxic principles from Artocarpus chama.

Five new isoprenylated flavones, artochamins A-E (1-5), together with eight known flavones (6-13), were isolated from the roots of Artocarpus chama. All structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Artonin E (12) showed strong cytotoxicity against 1A9 (ovarian), significant activity against MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), and moderate activity against HCT-8 (ileocecal) and MDA-MB-231 (breast adenocarcinoma) tumor cell lines. Artochamin C (3) was more potent against MCF-7, 1A9, HCT-8, and SK-MEL-2 (melanoma) than A549 (lung carcinoma), KB (epidermoid carcinoma of the nasopharynx), and its drug-resistant (KB-VIN) variant. Artocarpin (6) displayed weak but relatively broad inhibitory effects compared with 3 and 12.