ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents from the stems and leaves of Dioscorea opposita. Methods: The compounds were isolated and purified by various column chromatographies, and their structures were identified by physiochemical properties and spectroscopic data. The effects of the compounds on the proliferation of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and human liver cancer HepG2 cells were investigated. Results: Twenty compounds were isolated from the 50% acetone extract of the stems and leaves of D. opposita, which were identified as 1H-indazole (1), 1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde (2), 1H-indole-3- carboxylic acid (3), 3-(2-oxopropyl)-3-hydroxy-indolin-2-one (4), thymidine (5), uridine (6), 3-hydroxy-3-(2-oxopropyl)-2,4-(1H,3H)- quinolinedione (7), hematinic acid (8), allantoin (9), 2-ethyl-3-methyl-maleimide-N-β-D-glucopyranoside (10), paulownin (11), (+)-8-hydroxypinoresinol (12), (+)-syringaresinol (13), (-)-dihydrodehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (14), (7R,8S)-dihydrodehydro- diconiferyl alcohol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (15), (2E,6S)-6,7-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-octenoic acid (16), (2E,4S)-4-hydroxy-2- nonenoic acid (17), (2E,6S)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-2,7-dienoic acid (18), amarantholidoside IV (19), (9Z,11E)-13-methoxy- 9,11-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester (20), and their effects on proliferation of MCF-7 cells and HepG2 cells were investigated. compounds 1, 4, 8, 11-15, 18, 20 at a dose of 25μmol/L inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, and compounds 1, 4, 8, 12-14, 18, 20 at a dose of 25 μmol/L inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Conclusion: Compounds 1, 3-5, 10-12 and 15-20 are isolated from this plant for the first time, compounds 1, 4,8, 11-15, 18, 20 inhibited the the proliferation of MCF-7 and HepG2 cellssignificantly at certain concentration, showing protent antitumor activity.