Identification of a new cytotoxic biflavanone from Selaginella doederleinii

Abstract

A new biflavanone, 2,2″,3,3″-tetrahydrorobustaflavone 7,4′,7″ trimethyl ether (1) was isolated from the whole plant of Selaginella doederleinii HIERON. (Selaginellaceae) together with the known biflavonoid, robustaflavone 7,4′,7″ trimethyl ether (2) as the cytotoxic constituents against the three human cancer cell lines, HCT, NCI-H358, and K562. The structure of the new compound 1 was elucidated by spectral analysis including various 1D-and 2D NMR experiments. © 2008 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.