Annomolin and annocherimolin, new cytotoxic annonaceous acetogenins from Annona cherimolia seeds

Two new cytotoxic annonaceous acetogenins, annomolin (1) and annocherimolin (2), were isolated from an ethanolic extract of the seeds of Annena cherim elia. Annomolin has a mono-THF ring with one flanking hydroxyl and possesse s a 1,2-diol at C-7/8 of the aliphatic chain. Annocherimolin has a mono-THF ring with two flanking hydroxyls and possesses a double bond at C-21/22. T heir structures were elucidated by spectral data and chemical derivatizatio n. Compound 1 showed cytotoxic selectivity for the human prostate tumor cel l line (PC-3), with a potency of over 10 000 times that of adriamycin. Comp ound 2 showed cytotoxic potencies about 10 000 times those of adriamycin in the breast (MCF-7) and colon (HT-29) cancer cell lines.