Differential cytotoxic activity of the petroleum ether extract and its furanosesquiterpenoid constituents from Commiphora molmol resin.

This study revealed a differential cytotoxic activity of the petroleum ether extract (IC₅₀ =5 μg/mL) of the resinous exudates of Commiphora molmol against two mouse cell lines KA31T and NIH3T3 (untransformed and transformed mouse fibroblasts, respectively). Four new compounds (1-4) and five known compounds (5-9) were isolated from the petroleum ether extract. The identity of these new compounds was determined as γ-elemane lactone (1), 5-αH,8-βH-eudesma-1,3,7(11)-trien-8,12-olide (2), 2-hydroxy-11,12-dihydrofuranodiene (3), and 2-hydroxyfuranodiene (4). 1 and 2 displayed the highest cytotoxic activity against NIH3T3 cells. 7 and 9 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against KA31T cells. Compounds 3-6 showed weak cytotoxic activities against both cell lines. These results may explain the high efficacy of the petroleum ether fraction in several myrrh-derived pharmaceutical preparations.