Synthesis and evaluation of (-)-Massoialactone and analogues as potential anticancer and anti-inflammatory agents.

(-)-Massoialactone, an α,ß-unsaturated δ-lactone isolated from Cryptocarya massoia, and five analogues were synthesized and their antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated. The lactones were able to mimic the "core" functional group required for the biological activity of their parent natural compounds suggesting that substantially altered analogues may retain their properties.