Cancer chemopreventive activity of rotenoids from Derris trifoliata

A study of the chemical constituents of the stems of Derris trifoliata Lour. (Leguminosae) led to the isolation and identification of one new rotenoid, 6aalpha,12aalpha-12a-hydroxyelliptone (3), together with five other known rotenoids. In a search for novel cancer chemopreventive agents (anti-tumor promoters), we carried out a primary screening of five of the rotenoids isolated from the plant for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells. The inhibitory activity of 3 was found to be equivalent to that of beta-carotene without any cytotoxicity. Deguelin (4) and alpha-toxicarol (5) exhibited a marked inhibitory effect on mouse skin tumor promotion in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test. This investigation indicated that rotenoids might be valuable anti-tumor promoters.