Isolation and structure of rolliniastatin 1 from the South American tree Rolliniamucosa

Rollinin mucosa (Annonaceae), known in primitive medical practices of Indonesia and the West Indies as a treatment for tumors, has been investigated employing the seeds from a South American variety and the murine P388 lymphocytic leukemia (PS) for bioassay. The principal antineoplastic constituent (PS, 28% life extension, at 0.25 mg/kg and ED₅₀4.5 × 10-5μg/mL) was found to be a new bis-tetrahydrofuran designated rolliniastatin 1. Structural elucidation of rolliniastatin 1 was accomplished by a combination of high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (300 MHz), mass spectral, and X-ray crystal structure techniques.