Cytotoxic Steroids from the Bark of Aglaia argentea (Meliaceae)

The study aimed to find a potential anticancer agent by isolating and identifying the chemical structure of compounds from Aglaia argentea and testing their cytotoxic effects against P-388 murine leukimia cells. Five steroids – stigmast-5-en-3β-ol (β-sitosterol) (1), stigmast-5-en-3β-ol-3β-oleate (β-sitosterol oleate) (2), stigmast-5-en-3β-ol-3-O-(6′-O-oleoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (sitoindoside II) (3), stigmast-5-en-3β-ol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (β-sitosterol glucoside) (4), stigmast-5,22-dien-3β-ol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (stigmasterol glucoside) (5) – were isolated from the bark of Aglaia argentea. The chemical structures of 1-5 were identified with spectroscopic data, including IR, NMR (1H, 13C, DEPT 135°, HMQC, HMBC, 1H-1H COSY) and HRTOFMS, as well as by comparing with previously reported spectral data. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects against P-388 murine leukemia cells. Compounds 1-5 showed cytotoxicity against P-388 murine leukemia cell with IC50 values of 12.45 ± 0.050, 85.25 ± 0.050, >100, 52.27 ± 0.031 and 62.52 ± 0.076 μg/mL, respectively.