Phytochemical investigation of the fruits of Xanthium strumarium and their cytotoxic activity

• Published in: Journal of natural medicines Vol. 76; no. 2; pp. 468 - 475
• Main Authors: Xu, Xiang-Wei, Xi, Yi-Yuan, Chen, Jun, Zhang, Feng, Zheng, Ju-Jia, Zhang, Peng-Hai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01.03.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Annexin V; Antifungal agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cell cycle; Cell death; Complementary & Alternative Medicine; Cytotoxicity; Fruit; G1 phase; Medicinal Chemistry; Pentacyclic triterpenoids; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pharmacy; Phytochemicals - pharmacology; Plant Sciences; Triterpenoids; Xanthium - chemistry; Xanthium strumarium; Compositae; Triterpenoids; Cytotoxic activity; Xanthium strumarium
• ISSN: 1340-3443; 1861-0293
• DOI: 10.1007/s11418-021-01588-w

Eight pentacyclic triterpenoids including two new ones ( 1 , 2 ) were isolated from the fruits of Xanthium strumarium . Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. All isolates were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activity on HepG2, A549, HCT116 and SW480 cancer cells. Among them, the new compound 2 was found to exhibit significant cytotoxic activity on A549, HCT116 and SW480 cancer cells with IC 50 values of 9.68, 4.27 and 7.58 μM, respectively. Further, 2 was selected for cell cycle analysis and results revealed that 2 could cause HCT116 cell cycle arrest in G1 phase. In addition, Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay showed that 2 could induce the death of HCT116 cells. Graphical abstract