Influenza A (H₁N₁) Antiviral and Cytotoxic Agents from <i>Ferula assa-foetida</i>

Two new sesquiterpene coumarins, designated 5′-acetoxy-8′-hydroxyumbelliprenin (1) and 10′R-acetoxy-11′-hydroxyumbelliprenin (2), and a new diterpene, 15-hydroxy-6-en-dehydroabietic acid (3), along with 27 known compounds, were isolated from a CHCl3-soluble extract of Ferula assa-foetida through bioassay-guided fractionation. The structures of the new metabolites 1−3 were identified by spectroscopic data interpretation and by the Mosher ester method. Compounds 4 and 6−13 showed greater potency against influenza A virus (H1N1) (IC50 0.26−0.86 μg/mL) than amantadine (IC50 0.92 μg/mL), and 11 exhibited the best potency (IC50 0.51, 2.6, and 3.4 μg/mL) of these compounds against the HepG2, Hep3B, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, respectively

Asterolaurins A−F, Xenicane Diterpenoids from the Taiwanese Soft Coral <i>Asterospicularia laurae</i>

Six new xenicane-type diterpenoids, designated as asterolaurins A−F (1−6), have been isolated from the organic extract of the soft coral Asterospicularia laurae, collected in southern Taiwan. Compounds 1−4 possess a xenicin skeleton with a 2-oxabicyclo[7.4.0]tridecane ring system, while 5 and 6 are xeniolide A-type compounds. The structures of the new secondary metabolites, including their configurations, were established on the basis of an extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR (1H−1H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY), and by comparison of their NMR data with those of the related compounds. The structure of asterolaurin A (1) was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis, and its absolute configuration was determined using the modified Mosher’s method. Asterolaurin A (1) exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells with an IC50 of 8.9 μM, while asterolaurin D (4) showed potent inhibition of elastase release and superoxide anion generation in vitro

Asterolaurins A−F, Xenicane Diterpenoids from the Taiwanese Soft Coral <i>Asterospicularia laurae</i>

Six new xenicane-type diterpenoids, designated as asterolaurins A−F (1−6), have been isolated from the organic extract of the soft coral Asterospicularia laurae, collected in southern Taiwan. Compounds 1−4 possess a xenicin skeleton with a 2-oxabicyclo[7.4.0]tridecane ring system, while 5 and 6 are xeniolide A-type compounds. The structures of the new secondary metabolites, including their configurations, were established on the basis of an extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR (1H−1H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY), and by comparison of their NMR data with those of the related compounds. The structure of asterolaurin A (1) was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis, and its absolute configuration was determined using the modified Mosher’s method. Asterolaurin A (1) exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells with an IC50 of 8.9 μM, while asterolaurin D (4) showed potent inhibition of elastase release and superoxide anion generation in vitro