Novel cytotoxic acylphenol dimers of Myristica gigantea;: enzymatic synthesis of giganteones A and B

Three new compounds, prepromalabaricone B (1) and two dimeric acylphenols, giganteones A (2) and B (3) were isolated from EtOAc extract of the fruits of Myristica gigantea (Myristicaceae), together with known promalabaricone C (4), malabaricones A-C (5-7) and maingayone (8). The structures were determined by mass and 2D NMR spectral analysis, and the enzymatic synthesis of giganteones A and B was performed from malabaricone C. Both 2 and 3 possess significant cytotoxic activity in vitro against human nasopharynx KB cells. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.