Synthesis, characterization, and biological studies of diosgenyl analogs.

A series of diosgenyl analogs were prepared from diosgenin to evaluate their anticancer activity and antithrombotic property. Analog 4, which had a spiroketal structure with a 6-aminohexanoic acid residue, exhibited the highest potency against all five tumor cell lines. It significantly blocked tumor growth, induced cell apoptosis and autophagy, and regulated cellular calcium concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate, and cell cycle.

Novel polyacetylenes from Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt.

Phytochemical investigation of the 95% EtOH extract of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt. resulted in the isolation of two novel polyacetylenes, (2S)-(3Z,11E)-decadiene-5,7,9-triyne-1,2-diol (1) and (2R)-(3E,11Z)-decadiene-5,7,9-triyne-1,2-diol (2), together with two known polyacetylenes (3 and 4). The structures of these novel compounds were determined by extensive two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and optical rotation.