Plant anticancer agents, L. cytotoxic triterpenes from Sandoricum koetjape stems.

A new ring-A secotriterpene, koetjapic acid [1], and five known compounds, 3-oxo-olean-12-en-29-oic acid [2] (a novel natural product), katonic acid [3], (-)-alloaromadendrene, (-)-caryophyllene oxide, and (+)-spathulenol, have been isolated and characterized from a cytotoxic Et2O-soluble extract of Sandoricum koetjape stems. Of these compounds, 2 and 3 demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity against cultured P-388 cells (ED50 values of 0.61 and 0.11 microgram/ml, respectively). Significant, albeit less intense, cytotoxicity was also observed with a variety of cultured human cancer cells. The 13C-nmr chemical shifts of these triterpenes were assigned unambiguously using selective INEPT nmr experiments. Aside from compounds 2 and 3, these substances were not toxic with cultured cells.