Rapid identification of cytotoxic alkenyl catechols in Semecarpus anacardium using bioassay-linked high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray/mass spectrometric analysis

Two alkenyl catechols were rapidly identified as probable cytotoxic constit uents from the petroleum ether extract of Semecarpus anacardium using HPLC- electrospray/MS analysis linked to bioassay. These compounds were then isol ated from the same extract using semi-prep HPLC and were proven to be 1,2-d ihydroxy-3-pentadeca-7',10'-dienylbenzene and 1,2-dihydroxy-3-pentadec-8'-e nylbenzene, respectively, by comparison with physico-chemical data in the l iterature. Both isolates showed cytotoxic activities against a panel of hum an cancer cell lines. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.