BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE ACETOGENINS FROM STEM BARK OF ASIMINA-TRILOBA

In continuing our research with cytotoxic and pesticidal components fr om the stem bark of the North American paw paw, Asimina triloba, the n ovel cytotoxic monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins, cis- and t rans-annonacin-A-one, cis- and trans-gigantetrocinone and cis-isoannon acin, in addition to the known compounds, trans-isoannonacin and squam olone, have been identified. Brine shrimp lethality testing was used t o direct the fractionation. The structures were elucidated by spectral analysis and/or chemical synthesis. These acetogenins have potent cyt otoxicities against the human tumour cell lines of A-549 (lung carcino ma), MCF-7 (breast carcinoma) and HT-29 (colon adenocarcinoma).