The n-hexane extract of Knema pachycarpa fruits (Myristicaceae family), exhibiting strong anti-acetylcholinesterase activity, was investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and then purified by column chromatography.Guided by GC/MS profiling and bioassay, chromatographic separations led to the isolation of five new compounds: two anacardic acid derivatives 1-2, two cardanol derivatives 3-4 and a cardol derivative 5, along with mixtures of known phenolic lipids 6-9. The chemical structures were determined by various spectroscopic methods. New isolated compounds 1-5 were evaluated for their cytotoxicity and antiacetylcholinesterase activity. Cardanol 3 and cardol 5 were the most active compounds in the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory assay with IC 50 values of 2.60 ± 0.24 µM and 2.46 ± 0.23 µM, respectively. Cardanol 4 and cardol 5 showed moderate cytotoxicity against Hela and MCF-7 cancer cell lines with IC 50 values ranging from 31.36 ± 0.41 µM to 41.30 ± 2.49 µM.

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Two new acetophenone derivatives named knepachycarpanone A (1) and knepachycarpanone B (2) together with a new cardanol derivative named knepachycarpanol C (3) were isolated from the EtOAc extract of Knema pachycarpa stems. Their chemical structures were established on the basis of spectral evidences. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against Hela cancer cell line with IC50 values of 26.92 ± 1.46 and 30.20 ± 1.97 μM, respectively.

Knema is a genus of tropical evergreen trees of the family Myristicaceae found in South East Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. In this paper, four lignans, (+)-pinoresinol (1),(+) epi-pinoresinol (2), piperitol (3), and pluviatilol (4), were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the fruit of Knema pachycarpa, an indigenus tree in Vietnam. The chemical structures were determined by spectroscopic data and comparison with the reported literature. These compounds were isolated from Knema genus for the first time.