Antiproliferative Pterocarpans and Coumestans from Lespedeza bicolor

J Nat Prod. 2019 Nov 22;82(11):3025-3032. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b00567. Epub 2019 Nov 1.

Abstract

Chromatographic purification of a methanol extract of the roots of Lespedeza bicolor led to the isolation of four new pterocarpans (1-4), two new coumestans (6 and 7), two new arylbenzofurans (8 and 9), and the known pterocarpan 1-methoxyerythrabyssin II (5). Their structures were identified using NMR spectroscopy, UV spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Cytotoxicity assays showed that compounds 1-9 exerted antiproliferative effects on blood cancer cells. Of these compounds, 1 and 6 induced mitochondrial depolarization and induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells. These compounds promoted cell death by inducing cell-cycle arrest at the G1 stage, reducing levels of BCL2, and increasing cleavage of PARP-1. These findings indicate that 1 and 6 are possible lead compounds for the treatment of human leukemia cells via intracellular signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Coumarins / isolation & purification
  • Coumarins / pharmacology*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / blood
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Lespedeza / chemistry*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Molecular Structure
  • Pterocarpans / isolation & purification
  • Pterocarpans / pharmacology*
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Coumarins
  • Pterocarpans
  • coumestan