A Novel Cytotoxic C-Methylated Biflavone, Taiwanhomoflavone-B from the Twigs of Cephalotaxus wilsoniana.

Abstract

A novel C-methylated biflavone, taiwanhomoflavone-B (1), together with known compounds, 7,4',7"-tri-O-methylamentoflavone, 6-C-methylnaringenin and apigenin-7-O-beta-glucoside were isolated from an ethanolic extract of Cephalotaxus wilsoniana. The structure of 1 was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Taiwanhomoflavone-B is cytotoxic with ED(50) values of 3.8 and 3.5 microg/ml, against KB oral epidermoid carcinoma and Hepa-3B hepatoma cells, respectively.