Compounds from Kadsura angustifolia with anti-HIV activity.

Four new cycloartane triterpenoids, angustific acid A (1), angustific acid B (2), angustifodilactone A (3) and angustifodilactone B (4) were isolated from the branches of Kadsura angustifolia together with six known compounds, micranoic acid B (5), nigranoic acid (6), schisandrin (7), schisantherin D (8), interiotherin B (9), schisantherin B (10). Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analyses and comparison with spectroscopic data reported. Compound 1, characterized by the presence of a C-16/C-17, C-20/C-21 conjugated diene and a C-1/C-7 ester bridge formed in rings A and B, provided a novel structural skeleton for 3,4-secocycloartane triterpenoid derivatives. In addition, the anti-HIV activities of these compounds were determined in infected C8166 cells, and it was found that angustific acid A (1) exhibited the most potent anti-HIV activity with an EC(50) value of 6.1 μg/mL and a therapeutic index of more than 32.8.