Cytotoxic prenylated phenols of false indigo-bush ( L.).

This study employed the MTT assay to assess the cytotoxicity of one flavan and two stilbene derivatives isolated from the false indigo-bush ( L.) fruits: 5,7-dihydroxy-8-geranylflavanone (), 2-carboxy-3,5-dihydroxy-4-geranylbibenzyl (), and 2-carboxy-3-hydroxy-4-prenyl-5-methoxybibenzyl (). The examined compounds reduced the survival of human cervical and colon tumour cells (HeLa, HT-29, HCT-116, and LS174) with IC values ranging from 10.55 to 147.09 μg/mL, except for , which did not affect LS174 cells within the tested concentrations. The highest activity was observed for against HeLa cells, and also exhibited the weakest effect against normal foetal lung fibroblasts (IC = 166.11 μg/mL), demonstrating good potency and selectivity. Stilbenes and proved efficacious, but lacked selectivity compared to . Our findings revealed the cytotoxicity of false indigo-bush constituents, justifying further mechanistic and investigations, particularly on 5,7-dihydroxy-8-geranylflavanone, which displayed considerable anticancer capacity and a potentially favourable safety profile.