Phospholipase Cgamma1 inhibitory principles from the sarcotestas of Ginkgo biloba.

Ten phenolic compounds were isolated from the CHCl3 extract of Ginkgo biloba sarcotestas (Ginkgoaceae) as a new class of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase Cgamma1 (PI-PLCgamma1) inhibitors. The substances without the long chain were ineffective. On the other hand, the activities of these compounds were dramatically decreased by acetylation of aromatic hydroxyl groups of cardanol, phenolic acid, and bilobol and by methylation of the aromatic carboxyl group of phenolic acid. The unsaturated long chain as well as the aromatic hydroxyl and carboxyl groups might play a key role for the PI-PLCgamma1 inhibitory activity. These compounds also inhibited the growth of a number of human cancer cell lines, but were less cytotoxic against a human normal colon cell line.