• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.424-426
• /
• 2001

In the course of searching for biologically active sesquiterpenoids from Curcuma genus, two sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the rhizome of Curcuma zedoaria (Zingiberaceae). Their structures were identified as ar-turmerone (1) and $\beta$-turmerone (2). The structure elucidation of compounds 1 and 2 was carried out by comparison of their physical and spectral data with previously reported values.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.223-226
• /
• 1989

A cytotoxic sesquiterpene against L1210 cell has been isolated from the root of Curcuma domestica. Its structure was identified as ${\beta}-sesquiphellandrene$. The cytotoxicity-potentiating substance was (+)-ar-turmerone. (+)-ar-Turmerone potentiated the cytotoxicity of ${\beta}-sesquiphellandrene$(5 fold in $ED_{50}$ value) and an unknown sesquiterpene which was isolated from the root as well, and that of aurapten(6.3 fold) isolated from the unripe fruit of Poncirus trifoliata. Moreover, it potentiated the cytotoxic activities of MeCCNU 10 fold and cyclophosphamide 10 fold. Except the fact that all the effective cytotoxic substances possess relatively good lipophilicity, no relationship between structures of the cytotoxic substances and the cytotoxicity-enhancing effect of (+)-ar-turmerone could be observed.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.91-94
• /
• 1996

In the course of a search for antitumor agents, we found that the extract of Curcuma longa was effective in inducing apoptosis or programmed cell death (PCD) in human myeloid leukemia cells (HL-60). Active compounds for PCD were isolated from the hexanic extraction of the rhizome of Curcuma longa. With the several chromatographies, and spectral data, they were identified as ar-turmerone and $\beta-atlantone$. The present results demonstrate that the exposure of human myeloid leukemia HL-60 cells to clinically achievable concentrations of arturmerone (TU) or .$\beta-atlantone$(AT) produced internucleosomal DNA fragmentation of approximately 200 base-pair multiples, and the morphological changes characteristic of cells undergoing apoptosis or PCD. This findings suggest that these agents may exert their antitumoral activity, in part, through induction of apoptosis(PCD).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.254-256
• /
• 1993

For the evaluation of the role of .alpha., .betha.-unsaturated ketone portion of ar-tumerone for its activity, the structural variation of this structural unit was performed to omit its alkylating propery. Thus compounds 2, 3, and 4 were prepared and their cytotoxicities were determined against three different leukemiz cell lines (HL-60, K-562, and $L_{1210})$ in vitro. The biological inactivity against three different cell lines of these analogues implies that the $\alpha, \beta$-unsaturated ketone of ar-tumerone is the essential pharmacophore for its activity.