Jacaranone: a cytotoxic constituent from Senecio ambiguus subsp. ambiguus (biv.) DC. against renal adenocarcinoma ACHN and prostate carcinoma LNCaP cells.

Senecio ambiguus subsp. ambiguus (Biv.) DC. extracts were able to inhibit the in vitro proliferation of renal cell adenocarcinoma ACHN and hormone dependent prostate carcinoma LNCaP. The potential cytotoxic property of the plant was revealed by the methanolic extract action against LNCaP (IC50 of 5.51 microg/mL) and ACHN (IC50 of 38.95 microg/mL). The most potent cytotoxic activity (IC50 of 5.34 microg/mL against the prostate carcinoma cell line) was exerted by the dichloromethane extract. Through bioassay-guided fractionation of the dichloromethane extract jacaranone was isolated as the major active constituent. This quinoid showed a very strong activity against ACHN and LNcaP with IC50 of 4.32 and 7.39 microg/mL, respectively. Its structure was established by GC/MS and NMR analysis. The n-hexane extract showed an interesting inhibition on the proliferation of tumor cell lines an IC50 value of 5.23 microg/mL against LNCaP. Three compounds identified in the n-hexane extract such as nerolidol, a-humulene and g-tocopherol were found to be active aginst LNCAP with IC50 values ranged from 11.24 to 15.56 microg/mL.