Cytotoxic Constituents from Notopterygium incisum

The MeOH extract of Notopterygium incisum showed a strong cytotoxicity against B16 murine melanoma cell line. From this extract three furanocoumarins including bergamottin, isoimperatorin, notopterol and one polyacetylenic compound (falcarindiol) together with one phenylpropanoid (caffeic acid methyl ester) and one triterpenoid (pregnenolone) were isolated. The isolated compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against four kinds of cancer cell lines, e.g. P388 (murine lymphocytic leukemia), B16 (murine melanoma), A549 (human lung carcinoma) and SK-OV-3 (human ovarian cancer). Among the isolates, falcarindiol and caffeic acid methyl ester expressed a significant antiproliferative activity against all tested cell lines.