Flavonoids and other compounds from Ouratea ferruginea (Ochnaceae) as anticancer and chemopreventive agents.

Abstract

The chemical study of the extracts from leaves and stems of Ouratea ferruginea allowed the identification of a new isoflavone, 5-hydroxy-7,3′4′5′-tetramethoxyisoflavone, and twenty two known compounds, including friedelin, 3β-friedelinol, lupeone, a mixture of sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol, sitosteryl- and stigmasteryl-3-O-b-D-glucopyranosides, 5,4′-dihydroxy-7,5′,3′-trimethoxyisoflavone, 5,4′-dihydroxy-7,3′-di-methoxyisoflavone (7,3′-di-O-methylorobol), 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-3′,5′-dimethoxyisoflavone (piscigenin), 2R,3R-epicatechin, syringic acid, 2,6-dimethoxybenzoquinone, 2,6-dimethoxyhydroquinone, syringic and ferulic aldehyde, a mixture of vanillic acid, 1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-(1E-3-hydroxy-1-propenyl)-benzene and 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxy-dihydrocinamaldehyde, besides amenthoflavone and 7-O-methylamenthoflavone (sequoiaflavone) which are considered as chemotaxonomic markers of Ouratea. The structures were identified by IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR and GC-MS, HPLC-MS, besides comparison with literature data. The inhibitory effects of 5,4′-dihydroxy-7,5′,3′-trimethoxyisoflavone, 7,3′-di-O-methylorobol, piscigenin and 7-O-methylamenthoflavone on cytochrome P450-dependent 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were evaluated in vitro. The 5,4′-dihydroxy-7,5′,3′-trimethoxy-isoflavone was the best inhibitor, inhibiting almost 75% of GST activity. Sequoiaflavone was the most potent inhibitor, inhibiting ECOD assay in 75%. These activities allow us to consider both these flavonoids as potential anticancer and chemopreventive agents