Cytotoxic triterpenes from Diospyros kaki L. cv. costata (Ebenaceae)

Abstract

Four flavonoids (kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside, kaempferol, and quercetin) and three triterpenes (ursolic acid, 3,19,24-trihydroxyurs-12-en and 3,19,24-trihydroxy-15-oxo-urs-12-en) were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the alcoholic extract of Diospyros kaki L. cv. costata leaves cultivated in Egypt. The cytotoxic activity of 3,19,24-trihydroxyurs-12-en and 3,19,24-trihydroxy-15-oxo-urs-12-en was assessed on three human cell lines, cervical carcinoma (HELA), breast carcinoma (MCF7) and colon carcinoma (HCT116) cell lines using sulforhodamine-B assay. The two compounds exerted a moderate cytotoxic activity against the three tested cell lines comparing to doxorubicin as reference standard.