The first representative of a new type of spirobisnaphthalene with a previously unknown skeletal system, Spiroaxillarone A (1), was isolated from Cyanotis axillaris. The planar structure was determined through analysis of spectroscopic evidence, while electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations were used to determine its absolute configuration. The structure of 1 was further confirmed through X-ray diffraction studies of its tetrabromobenzoate derivative (1a). Spiroaxillarone A exhibited significant antimalarial activity against resistant Plasmodium falciparum (IC50 = 2.32 μM).

A novel cyclohexenone, roxydienone (1), together with 13 known compounds (2-14), were isolated from the seeds of Trachyspermum roxburghianum. The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of their 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. Compounds 1, 2, 7-9 and 14 showed cytotoxicity against NCI-H187 cell line while compounds 1 and 9 showed cytotoxicity against KB cell line. In addition, only compound 13 showed cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cell line.

Seven undescribed scalarane sesterterpenoids, nambiscalaranes B–H (1–7), together with two known compounds, nambiscalarane (8) and aurisin A (9) were isolated from the cultured mycelium of the luminescent mushroom Neonothopanus nambi. Their structures were elucidated by thorough analysis of their 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations of 1–8 were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations and optical rotation measurements. The isolated sesterterpenoids were evaluated against A549, HT29, HeLa, and HCT-116 cancer cell lines, and against five bacterial strains. Compounds 3, 5, and 7 showed strong cytotoxicity against HCT-116 cell line, with IC50 values ranging from 13.41 to 16.53 µM, and showed no cytotoxicity towards Vero cells. Moreover, compound 8 inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis with a MIC value of 8 µg/mL, which was equivalent to the MIC value of the standard kanamycin.

Phytochemical investigation of Diospyros filipendula (Ebenaceae) resulted in the isolation of eighteen compounds. Their structures were identified by analysis of mass spectrometric and spectroscopic (IR, 1D and 2D NMR) data. We report three benzoic acid derivatives (1-3), one peptide (4), one coumarin (5), three phthalides (6-8), three steroids (9-11) and seven triterpenes (12-18). Nine compounds (1, 4-8, 10, 17 and 18) are reported from the Ebenaceae family for the first time while the other nine are new to the species D. filipendula.Compounds 7, 17 and 18 showed low to moderate cytotoxicity against NCI-H187 and Vero cell lines while compound 18 showed moderate cytotoxicity against KB cell line. In addition, compounds 17 and 18 showed moderate to significant antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum.

An unusual, new anthracene natural product named filamentos A (1), two new anthraquinone derivatives named filamentos B (2) and C (3), together with sixteen known compounds (4-19), were isolated from the roots of the tree Prismatomeris filamentosa. Their structures were identified by analysis of mass and spectroscopic data (IR, 1D and 2D NMR).Twelve metabolites (1-6, 9, 12-14, 16-17) showed moderate antibacterial activities against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria such as such as B. subtilis, B.