RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To study the anti-cancer components of Calotropis gigantean L. METHODS: The powdered whole plants of C. gigantea were extracted with 95% alcohol. After removal of the solvent, the residue was extracted with petroleum ether and chloroform, and the compounds in the chloroform extract were isolated and purified by different column chromatograghies carried out on silica gel, RP-18, MCI, and Sephadex LH - 20 and their structures were elucidated by spectral data. RESULTS: Thirteen compounds were isolated and their structures were characterized as gofruside(1), uzarigenin(2), arjunolic acid(3), 3ξ-(1ξ-hydroxyethyl) -7-hydroxy-1-isobenzofuranone(4), daucosterol(5), syringaresinol(6), 12-O-benzoyl-deacylmetaplexigenin(7), 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid(8), oleanolic acid(9), β-sitosterol(10), methyl 1-naphthaleneacetate(11), butylparaben(12), α-D-oleandropyranoside(13), and compounds 2 - 4, 6- 9, and 11 - 13 were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 1 and 2 showed cytotoxicity against HLE, K562, RPMI8226, MCF7, MDA, and WM9 cell lines, with K562 and RPMI8226 being the most sensitive cells. CONCLUSION: Compounds 1 and 2 are premilinarily judged as the anti-cancer components in C. gigantean.