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Five lanostane (2, 3, 4, 6 and 8) and three ergostane-type (1, 5 and 7) triterpenes isolated from the fruiting bodies of Antrodia camphorata were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic data against various cancer cell types. The three zhankuic acids, 1, 5 and 7 displayed the most potent cytotoxic effect with an IC 50 value of 22.3-75.0 lM. The compound 3 was selectively cytotoxic in three colon cancer cell lines (HT-29, HCT-116 and SW-480) and a breast cancer model (MDA-MB-231), whereas 8 only showed its cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231. None of these isolates was toxic to mammary epithelial (MCF10A) and primary foreskin fibroblast (HS68) cells, two human normal cell lines. The compounds 1, 5 and 7 were also demonstrated to induce apoptosis in HT-29 and SW-480 cells, as confirmed by sub-G1 cell cycle arrest. In HT-29 cells, the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, Bcl-2 and procaspase-3 were suppressed by compounds 1, 5 and 7. A mixture containing 4 lM each of compounds 1, 5 and 7 also showed a synergistic cytotoxic effect in HT-29 cells.

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Herbal medicines are now attracting attention as potential sources of anticancer agents. Andrographis paniculata is a traditionally used anticancer herb in Indian and Chinese herbal medicine. Phytochemical investigation of the ethanol extract of the aerial parts of this herb resulted in the isolation of 14 compounds including flavonoids and labdane diterpenoids. This is the first isolation of compound 6 from a natural source, and the aerial parts of A. paniculata are a rich source for the molecule andrographolide (9, 1.375%, w/w). The structures of the isolated compounds were established by means of spectral data. The cytotoxic activities of these isolates were evaluated against Jurkat, PC-3, HepG2 and Colon 205 tumor cells, and normal cells PBMCs. The bioactivity assays showed that metabolites 1-4 and 6-8 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against Jurkat, PC-3 and Colon 205 cell lines, where compound 6 had IC(50) values of 0.05, 0.07 and 0.05 mm, respectively. Further, among these effective compounds, 3 and 6 selectively blocked the cell cycle progression at G0/G1, while 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8 blocked the same at G2/M phase of the Jurkat cell line. This is the first cell cycle analysis for the above mentioned isolates on the Jurkat cells. Therefore, these plant-derived compounds may play a role in the prevention and/or management of cancer.