A new triterpenoid and eremophilanolide from Ligularia przewalskii

A phytochemical study of the ethanolic extract of Ligularia przewalskii (Maxim.) Diels led to the isolation of two new terpenoids, (1 beta H, 3 beta H)-epoxy-olean-13(18)-ene-3 alpha, 2-olide (1) and 8 beta-hydroxy-(10 beta H)-14 beta-methyl-6 alpha-angeloyloxy eremophil-7(11)-en-8 alpha, 12-olide-15 alpha-oic acid (2), along with 22 known compounds (3-24), of which compounds 3-13 were isolated from this plant for the first time. The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1-2 were evaluated for their in vitro anti-proliferative activities against Hep-G2 and MCF-7 tumour cell lines. Compound 1 exhibited strong inhibitory activity against Hep-G2 cell growth, in contrast to moderate cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells. Although compound 2 showed strong inhibitory activity against MCF-7 cell growth, it appeared to have modest activity against Hep-G2 cells. (C) 2014 Phytochemical Society of Europe. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.