Three new 24,28-dinorolean-3-one derivatives, the remangilones A-C (1-3), w
ere isolated from the dried leaves of Physena madagascariensis using a huma
n mammary carcinoma cell line to guide the isolation. The structures of 1-3
were deduced primarily from NMR studies. Compounds 1 and 3, remangilones A
and C, respectively, were found to be cytotoxic against two human breast c
ancer cell lines and induced apoptosis at concentrations of 2.3 mu M.