CYTOTOXIC AROMATIC TRITERPENES FROM MAYTENUS-ILICIFOLIA AND MAYTENUS-CHUCHUHUASCA

The isolation and structure elucidation of four cytotoxic aromatic tri terpenes [1-4] along with three known quinoid triterpenes [5-7] from t he South American medicinal plants Maytenus ilicifolia and M. chuchuhu asca are described. The structures of these aromatic triterpenes conta ined aromatized A rings and C-6 oxygenated B rings, and were elucidate d by H-1- and C-13-nmr spectroscopic studies and by X-ray crystallogra phic analysis of 3.