Cytotoxic activity of moronic acid and identification of the new triterpene 3,4-seco-olean-18-ene-3,28-dioic acid from Phoradendron reichenbachianum

The cytotoxic compound moronic acid (1) and the new tetracyclic triterpene 3,4-seco-olean-18-ene-3,28-dioic acid (2), were isolated from the aerial parts of the medicinal plant Phoradendron reichenbachianum (mistletoe, Loranthaceae) through a bioassay-guided fractionation. In addition, squalene. glycerol trilinoleate, morolic acid, betulinaldehyde, betulinaldehyde, alpha -germanicol, lupeol, beta -sitosterol and beta -sitosteril glucopyranoside, were identified in this plant species. The structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence.