ABSTRACT
Objective To study the chemical constituents and cytotoxic activity of Dendrobium wardianum. Methods The compounds were separated and purified by various column chromatography techniques and semi-preparative liquid chromatography, and the structures were then identified by NMR, MS and TLC. And the cytotoxic activity of compounds 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15 were detected by MTS assay. Results Sixteen compounds were isolated from D. wardianum. They were identified as amotin (1), aduncin (2), E-ferulic acid eicosyl ester (3), E-ferulic acid docosyl ester (4), tetracosyl p-coumarate (5), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamaldehyde (6), dihydroconiferyl alcohol (7), 3,7-dimethoxy-5-hydroxy-1,4-phenanthrenequinone (8), 3-ethoxy-5-hydroxy-7- methoxy-1,4-phenanthrenequinone (9), 4-methoxy-9,10-dihydrophilic-2,7-diol (10), 5,7,4’-trihydroxy dihydroflavone (11), 5,7,4’- trihydroxy-3’,5’-dimethoxy dihydroflavone (12), tricin (13), 3,5,4’-trimethoxy-4-hydroxybibenzyl (14), 3,5,3’-trimethoxy-4’- hydroxybibenzyl (15) and 3,3’-dimethoxy-4,5’-dihydroxybibenzyl (16). Compounds 6 and 8 have tumor growth inhibitory activity on tumor growth in vitro. Conclusion Compounds 3, 5, 6 are isolated from Dendrobium for the first time, and 10, 11, 14, 15 are isolated from D. wardianum for the first time. The active components of D. wardianum need to be further explored.