Cadinane sesquiterpenes from Curcuma parviflora.

Two new cadinane sesquiterpenes (1 and 2) were isolated from Curcuma parviflora, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data. Compound 1, 4alpha-acetoxycadina-2,9-diene-1,8-dione, possesses two conjugated enone chromophores, while compound 2, 1alpha,3alpha,4beta-trihydroxy-9-cadinen-8-one, has an enone moiety with three hydroxy groups. Isolation of these cadinane monomers may reasonably suggest that parviflorenes are biogenetically classified as cadinane dimers.

A novel sesquiterpenoid dimer parviflorene F induces apoptosis by up-regulating the expression of TRAIL-R2 and a caspase-dependent mechanism.

Parviflorene F (1), a novel sesquiterpenoid dimer isolated from Curcuma parviflora Wall, is a cytotoxic compound. In this study, we examined the mechanism of its cytotoxic effect in HeLa cells. Treatment with 1 enhanced the mRNA and protein expression of TRAIL-R2 (tumor necrosis factor alpha-related apoptosis inducing ligand receptor 2).