Effect of ditaxin and heteranthin and inhibitory effect of Ditaxis heterantha extract on L5178Y tumor development in mice.

Ditaxis heterantha seeds are used as spices for flavoring and coloring food. Two new apocarotenoids derived from the seeds, heteranthin and ditaxin, were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic effects in murine lymphoma cells lines. Bioabsorption in mice and preventive and antitumor effects of the apocarotenoids were determined.

C-26 and C-30 apocarotenoids from seeds of Ditaxis heterantha with antioxidant activity and protection against DNA oxidative damage.

The hexane extracts of seeds of Ditaxis heterantha afforded two new apocarotenoids whose structures corresponded to methyl 3-oxo-12'-apo-epsilon-caroten-12'-oate (1) (heteranthin) and methyl 3beta,6beta-epoxy-5beta-hydroxy-4,5-dihydro-8'-apo-epsilon-caroten-8'-oate (2) (ditaxin). Both compounds were evaluated for antioxidant activity and protection against DNA oxidative damage by using DPPH* free radical scavenging and Comet assays, respectively.