Cancer Lett. 2002 Mar; 177(2): 119-24.

Cancer chemopreventive effects of constituents of Caesalpinia ferrea and related compounds.

Nakamura ES, Kurosaki F, Arisawa M, Mukainaka T, Okuda M, Tokuda H, Nishino H, Pastore F.

Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sugitani 2630, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.

The anti-tumor promoting effects of fruits of Caesalpinia ferrea MART. (Leguminosae) were tested by the in vitro Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation assay, and its active constituents were identified as gallic acid (1) and methyl gallate (2). A total of 49 related compounds of 1 and 2 were analysed for the effects by this assay, and the structure activity relationships have been proposed. Three acetophenone derivatives, 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone (48), 2,3,4-trihydroxyacetophenone (50) and 2,4,6-trihydroxy- acetophenone (51) were found to show potent inhibitory activity.