New cytotoxic bufadienolides from the roots and rhizomes of Helleborus thibetanus Franch

Abstract

Three new bufadienolides 14β, 16β-dihydroxy-3β-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)oxy]-5α-bufa-20, 22-dienolide (1), 14β-hydroxy-3β-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)oxy]-5α-bufa-20, 22-dienolide (2) and hellebrigenin-3-O-β-D-glucosyl-(1→4)-β-D-glucoside (3), together with eight known bufadienolides (4–11) were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Helleborus thibetanus. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and acid hydrolysis. Compounds 1–7 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against HCT116, A549 and HepG2 tumor cell lines. Compound 1 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells with IC₅₀ value of 15.1?±?1.72?μM. Compounds 5 and 6 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against HCT116 cells with IC₅₀ values of 15.12?±?0.58?μM and 13.17?±?2.34?μM, respectively.