Cytotoxic 6-heptyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones
are chemical markers of Hyptis (Lamiaceae) and are
responsible for some of the therapeutic properties of species with
relevance to traditional medicine. The present investigation describes
the isolation of known pectinolides A–C (1–3), in addition to the new pectinolides I–M (4–8), from two Mexican collections of H. pectinata by HPLC. The novel biosynthetically related
monticolides A (9) and B (10) were also
isolated by high-speed countercurrent chromatography from H. monticola, an endemic species of the Brazilian southeastern
high-altitude regions. A combination of chemical correlations, chiroptical
measurements, and Mosher ester NMR analysis was used to confirm their
absolute configuration. The utility of DFT-NMR chemical shifts and J
H–H calculations was assessed for epimer
differentiation. Molecular docking studies indicated that 6-heptyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-ones have a high affinity for the pironetin-binding
site of α-tubulin, which may be a possible mechanism contributing
to the cytotoxic potential of these small and flexible molecules.