Cytotoxic activity of diterpenoids isolated from Salvia hypargeia

Ten diterpenoids [6a-hydroxysalvinolone (1), 6 alpha-hydroxytaxodone (2), aethiopinone (3), microstegiol (4). ferruginol (5), saprorthoquinone (6, 11,12-dioxoabieta-8,13-diene (7), taxodione (8), hypargenin A (9), hypargenin D (10)] and three triterpenoids [lupeol 3-acetate, delta-oleanol 3-acetate and beta-sitosterol] were isolated from the roots of Salvia hypargeia, a plant Endemic to Turkey. The crude extract and compounds 1-2, 5-10 were tested against a panel of human cancer cell lines [human breast cancer (BC 1), human lung cancer (LU 2), human colon cancer (COL 2), human epidermoidal carcinoma in mouth (KB), vinblastine-resistant ICB-VI, hormone-dependent human prostate cancer (LNCaP)] as well as P388 and ASK cells in culture. The crude extract was active in all of the rest systems, except KB. Isolates 1 and 8 were also found to mediate a generalized cytotoxic response.