• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1043-1047
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• 2004

Thirteen compounds were isolated from the $CH_2Cl_2$ fraction of Machilus thunbergii as phospholipase $C{\Upsilon}1\;(PLC{\Upsilon}1)$ inhibitors. These compounds were identified as nine lignans, two neolignans, and two flavans by spectroscopic analysis. Of these, 5,7-di-O-methyl-3',4'-methylenated (-)-epicatechin (12) and 5,7,3'-tri-O-methyl (-)-epicatechin (13) have not been reported previously in this plant. In addition, seven compounds, machilin A (1), (-)-sesamin (3), machilin G (5), (+)-galbacin (9), licarin A (10), (-)-acuminatin (11) and compound 12 showed dose-dependent potent inhibitory activities against $PLC{\Upsilon}1$ in vitro with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from 8.8 to 26.0 ${\mu}M$. These lignans, neolignans, and flavans are presented as a new class of $PLC{\Upsilon}1$ inhibitors. The brief study of the structure activity relationship of these compounds suggested that the benzene ring with the methylene dioxy group is responsible for the expression of inhibitory activities against $PLC{\Upsilon}1$. Moreover, it is suggested that inhibition of $PLC{\Upsilon}1$ may be an important mechanism for an antiproliferative effect on the human cancer cells. Therefore, these inhibitors may be utilized as cancer chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents.