Cephalotanins A-D, Four Norditerpenoids Represent Three Highly Rigid Carbon Skeletons from Cephalotaxus sinensis

Four polycyclic norditerpenoids, cephalotanins A-D (1-4) representing three unprecedented carbon skeletons with highly rigid ring systems, were isolated from Cephalotaxus sinensis and structurally characterized by a combination of various methods. Compounds 1 and 2 are new skeletal norditerpenoid trilactones, while 3 and 4 are two norditerpenoids featuring different new carbon skeletons. Biosynthetic pathways for 1-4 were proposed by involving diverse and very fascinating chemical events with the coexisting cephalotane troponoids as the precursors. Compound 1 exhibited good NF-B inhibition with an IC50 value of 4.12 +/- 0.61M.