Two new resorcinol derivatives with strong cytotoxicity from the roots of Ardisia brevicaulis Diels.

Two new resorcinol derivatives, 4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-6-[(8Z)-pentadec-8-en-1-yl]phenyl acetate (1) and 4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-6-pentadecylphenyl acetate (2), together with known compounds ardisiphenol D (3), 5-tridecylresorcinol (4), 5-pentadecylresorcinol (5), 5-[(8Z)-pentadec-8-en-1-yl]resorcinol (6), belamcandaquinones C and D (7 and 8, resp.), ardisicrenoside A, ardisiacrispin B, (22E)-24-ethyl-5α-cholesta-7,22-dien-3-one, and (22E)-24-ethyl-5α-cholesta-7,22-dien-3β-ol were isolated from the MeOH extract of the roots of Ardisia brevicaulis Diels. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis including ESI- and EI-MS, and NMR data. Cytotoxicities of 1-4 against cell lines A549, MCF-7, and PANC-1 were tested in vitro by the MTT (=3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide) method. Compounds 1-4 showed cytotoxic activity against all cell lines stronger than that of cisplatin against A549.