seco-Tiaminic acids B and C: Identification of two novel 3,4-seco-tirucallane triterpenoids isolated from the root of Entandrophragma congoënse (Meliaceae).

Chemical investigation of the roots of Entandrophragma congoënse (Meliaceae) led to the isolation of two new 3,4- seco -tirucallane triterpenes, namely seco -tiaminic acids B and C ( 1 and 2 ) together with nine known compounds: 3,4-secotirucalla-21-formyl-23-oxo-4(28),7,24-trien-3-oic acid ( 3 ), methyl angolensate ( 4 ), molucensin N ( 5 ), molucensin O ( 6 ), piscidinol A ( 7 ), 7 α ,20( S )-dihydroxy-4,24(28)-ergostadien-3-one ( 8 ), 24-methylene-cholest-5-en-3 β ,7 α -diol ( 9 ), entilin A ( 10 ), and entilin B ( 11 ). Their structures were determined using extensive spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR, HRMS, and CD analyses; new results were compared to existing data in the literature. The two newly identified seco -tiaminic acids showed moderate antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities against a chloroquine-sensitive strain of the malaria parasite ( Plasmodium falciparum NF54) and were cytotoxic toward an L6 rat skeletal myoblast cell line, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]