Antineoplastic agents. 489. Isolation and structures of meliastatins 1-5 and related euphane triterpenes from the tree Melia dubia.

The bark of the giant neem tree Melia dubia was found to contain 11 euphane-type triterpenes. Five new compounds, meliastatins 1-5 (1-5), proved to inhibit growth of the P388 lymphocytic leukemia cell line (ED(50) 1.7-5.