MONO-TETRAHYDROFURAN ACETOGENINS FROM GONIOTHALAMUS-GIGANTEUS

Goniotetracin and a mixture of (2,4-cis and li ans)-gonioneninone, new , bioactive, mono-tetrahydrofuran (THF) gamma-lactone and ketolactone acetogenins, were isolated from the bark of Goniothalamus giganteus (A nnonaceae) by activity-directed fractionation using the brine shrimp l ethality lest (BST). The structures were elucidated based on spectrosc opic and chemical methods. Their absolute stereochemistries were deter mined by the advanced Mosher ester method. Both showed selective and s ignificant cytotoxicities, comparable to the potency of adriamycin, to the human pancreatic tumour cell line (PACA-2), while goniotetracin a nd goniothalamicin were comparable to the activity of rotenone against yellow fever mosquito larvae. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.