Pinostrobin from Boesenbergia pandurata Is an Inhibitor of Ca2+-Signal-Mediated Cell-Cycle Regulation in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Upon searching plant extracts for inhibitors of the Ca2+ signaling pathway using the zds1 Delta-yeast proliferation based assay, a crude rhizome extract of Boesenbergia pandurata was found to be strongly positive, and from this extract pinostrobin, alpinetin, and pinocembrin chalcone were isolated as active components. Further biochemical experiments confirmed that pinostrobin possesses inhibitory activity on the Ca2+ signals involved in the control of G2/M phase cell cycle progression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.