Bioactive constituents from gum guggul (Commiphora wightii)

Bioactivity-directed fractionation and purification afforded cytotoxic comp onents of Commiphora wighti. The exudates of C. wightii were extracted with EtOAc and the extract was subjected to repeated column chromatography. A f raction showing cytotoxic activity was characterized as a mixture of two fe rulates with an unusual skeleton by spectral and chemical methods, includin g by NMR, GC-MS and chemical derivatization. This fraction also showed mode rate scavenging effect against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radica ls. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.