Abstract:In a preliminary screen, Aaptos aaptos showed significant cytotoxic activity towards a panel of cell lines and was thus subjected to bioassay-guided isolation of the bioactive constituents. In addition to the known aaptamine, two new derivatives of the alkaloid were isolated from the bioactive chloroform fraction of the crude methanolic extract. Detailed analysis by NMR and mass spectroscopy enabled their identification to be 3-(phenethylamino)demethyl(oxy)aaptamine and 3-(isopentylamino)demethyl(oxy) aaptamine. The cytotoxic activities of the three alkaloids were further evaluated against CEM-SS cells.

The methanol extract of the dried ripe fruits of Alpinia rafflesiana was investigated for its DPPH free radical scavenger constituents. 2Ј,3Ј,4Ј,6Ј-Tetrahydroxychalcone (7), which has never been isolated from natural sources was found to be most active as a DPPH free radical scavenger with the IC 50 value of 55 µm. Other known compounds isolated from this species include 5,6-dehydrokawain (1), flavokawin B (2), 1,7-diphenyl-5-hydroxy-6-hepten-3-one (3), (Ð)-pinocembrin (4), cardamonin (5) and (Ð)-pinostrobin (6). The DPPH free radical scavenger compounds were detected using TLC autographic analysis. The percentage inhibition of DPPH free radical scavenging activity was measured on isolates (5Ð7) using colorimetric analysis.

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Phytochemical studies on the rhizomes of Etlingera elatior have resulted in the isolation of 1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,4,6-heptatrienone (1), demethoxycurcumin (2), 1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4,6-heptatrien-3-one (3), 16-hydroxylabda-8(17),11,13-trien-15,16-olide (4), stigmast-4-en-3-one, stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione, stigmast-4-en-6beta-ol-3-one, and 5alpha,8alpha-epidioxyergosta-6,22-dien-3beta-ol. Compounds 1 and 4 are new, and their structures were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data. Diarylheptanoids 1-3 were found to inhibit lipid peroxidation in a more potent manner than alpha-tocopherol.