Cimitriteromone A-G, Macromolecular Triterpenoid-Chromone Hybrids from the Rhizomes of Cimicifuga foetida.

Seven unprecedented high molecular weight hybrids of cycloartane triterpenoid saponins and chromone glycosides, namely, Cimitriteromone A-G (1-7), and three known biogenetic precursors (8-10) were isolated from the rhizomes of Cimicifuga foetida by using the HPLC-UV/MS method. The structures of the new compounds were determined by NMR analysis and HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations of sugar moieties were established by a chemical method. The new compounds 2 and 4 showed antiproliferative activities against Taxol-resistant human lung cancer A-549/Taxol with IC values of 15.73 ± 0.59 and 24.21 ± 0.61 μM, respectively, while the positive control groups cisplatin and Taxol gave IC values of 25.80 ± 1.15 and 0.60 ± 0.09 μM. Notably, compound 4 showed comparable cytotoxicity to the positive control, cisplatin, whereas the corresponding biogenetic precursors compounds 8 and 10 were inactive (IC > 40 μM).