Abstract:
Applying a bioactivity-guided isolation strategy for the ethanolic extract of crown gall
tumours induced on an Eucalyptus tereticornis tree, two new compounds in addition to a
known one were isolated. The new compounds were identifi ed as an amino acid derivative
named 1-ethyl-6-(1'-methyl-1'-phenylethyl) piperidin-2-one (1) and a lanostane tetracyclic
triterpene named 3β-hydroxy-24-methyllanosta-8,17(20),24(28)-trien-22-oic acid (2), together
with stigmasterol-3-O-glucoside (3). The three compounds exhibited signifi cant cytotoxic
activity against two human cell lines, breast (MCF7) and colon (HCT116), with IC50
values of 1.01, 1.54, and 2.15 μg/ml, respectively, against MCF7 and 3.49, 3.83, and 3.39 μg/
ml, respectively, against HCT116. Furthermore, in rats elevated levels of blood cholesterol,
triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (LDLc) were signifi cantly reduced, while the level
of high-density lipoprotein (HDLc) was signifi cantly increased by administration of the
etha nolic extract as well as of 3. These results support a correlation between the reduction
of blood cholesterol levels and improvement of colorectal cancer.
