ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of the root of Wrightia pubescens.Methods Compounds were isolated by the combined use of colum chromatography,preparative HPLC and recrystallization,and their structures were identified by their physicochemical and spectroscopic data.Cytotoxic activities of the compounds were evaluated using MTT method in vitro.Re?sults Twelve compounds 1-12 were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble part from 75% ethanol extract of the root of W.pubescens, and identified as scopoletin(1),coumarin(2),cleomiscosin B(3),mollugin(4),4-hydroxybenzoic acid(5),vanillic acid(6), vanillin(7),4-hydroxymethyl-5-hydroxy-2H-pyran-2-one(8),β-sitosterol(9),β-daucosterol(10),ursonic acid(11),and me?dioresinol(12). Compound 4 showed cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cells in vitro with IC50of 8.0 mg/L. The IC50of compound 11 against MCF-7 and HepG2 cells was 14.7 and 18.2 mg/L,respectively.Conclusion Compounds 1-5,8 and 12 were isolated from the genus Wrightia for the first time. Compounds 6 and 10 were isolated from the title plant for the first time. Compounds 4 and 11 showed cytotoxic activities against tumor cells in vitro.