Fitoterapia. 2000 Apr; 71(2): 195-8.

A phytochemical investigation of Alchornea latifolia.

Setzer WN, Shen X, Bates RB, Burns JR, McClure KJ, Zhang P, Moriarity DM, Lawton RO.

Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, USA. wsetzer@matsci.uah.edu

A phytochemical investigation of the chloroform leaf extract of Alchornea latifolia has been undertaken. Along with the triterpenoids taraxerone, friedelin, epifriedelinol, and taraxerol, the plant also contains seco-3,4-friedelin (dihydroputranjivic acid) (1) and seco-3,4-taraxerone (2). These A-ring-opened triterpenoids show in vitro cytotoxic activity against Hep-G2 and A-431 human cancer cell lines and are potent inhibitors of topoisomerase II.