DNA polymerase and topoisomerase II inhibitors from Psoralea corylifolia.

An ethanol extract of Psoralea corylifolia caused strong DNA polymerase inhibition in a whole cell bioassay specific for inhibitors of DNA replication enzymes. Bioassay-directed purification of the active compounds led to the isolation of the new compound corylifolin (1) and the known compound bakuchiol (2) as DNA polymerase inhibitors. On the basis of the structures of 1 and 2, resveratrol (3) was tested and found to be active as a DNA polymerase inhibitor in this bioassay. Neobavaisoflavone (4) was isolated as a DNA polymerase inhibitor, daidzein (5) as a DNA polymerase and topoisomerase II inhibitor, and bakuchicin (6) as a topoisomerase II inhibitor.