Bryophyllin B [1], a potent cytotoxic bufadienolide, has been isolated from Bryophyllum pinnatum and its structure confirmed by the use of 2D-nmr techniques and difference nOe method. Transformation of bryotoxin C [2] to 1 with acid is also discussed.

Three neolignans, known as magnolol [1], honokiol [2] and the new monoterpenylmagnolol [3], were isolated from the bark of Magnolia officinalis as inhibitors of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The structure of 3 was determined from 2D nmr spectral data and difference nOe experiments. The MeOH extract of this plant and magnolol exhibited remarkable inhibitory effects on mouse skin tumor promotion in an in vivo two stage carcinogenesis test. This investigation indicates that these neolignans and the extract might be valuable antitumor promoters.

A series of analogues of etoposide, the C-4 amino- and alkylamino-substituted 4'-demethyl-epipodophyllotoxins, have been synthesized and studied for their activity to inhibit type II human DNA topoisomerase as well as their activity in causing cellular protein-linked DNA breakage. Substitution of the glycosidic moiety of 1 by a 2"-hydroxyethylamino or 2"-methoxyethylamino chain at the C-4 beta position resulted in potent inhibitors of the human DNA topoisomerase II. This inhibitory activity correlates reasonably well with their activity in causing protein-linked DNA breakage in KB cells. The in vitro cytotoxicity (KB) appears to have no correlation with the inhibitory activity of the human DNA topoisomerase II.

The extract of the roots of Euphorbia kansui, which has been widely used in Chinese folk medicine for the treatment of cancer, demonstrated antileukemic activity against the P-388 lymphocytic leukemia in mice. Bioassay-directed fractionation of the active extract led to the isolation and characterization of two novel antileukemic diterpene esters, kansuiphorin A [1] [13-hydroxyingenol-3-(2,3-dimethylbutanoate)-13-dodecanoate- 20- hexadecanoate] and kansuiphorin B [2] [6,7-epoxy-13-hydroxyingenol-3-(2,3-dimethylbutanoate)-13-do decanoate-20- hexadecanoate], whose structures were established from spectral evidence and chemical transformation. Kansuiphorins A and B demonstrated potent antileukemic activity with T/C greater than or equal to 176 and 177% at 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively. The selectivity of kansuiphorin A, which inhibits the growth of particular cell types within the disease-oriented human cancer cell line panels, is discussed.

Bioassay-directed isolation of the antitumor extract of Wikstroemia indica (Thymelaeaceae) has led to the characterization of tricin, kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and (+)-nortrachelogenin as the major antileukemic constituents. In addition, daphnoretin was identified as the potent antitumor principle in vivo against the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma growth in mice.