Cytotoxic coumarins and lignans from extracts of the northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

Four pyranocoumarins; dipetaline, alloxanthoxyletin, xanthoxyletin and xanthyletin; and two lignans; sesamin and asarinin were isolated from the northern prickly ash, Zanthoxylum americanum. To varying degrees, all inhibited the incorporation of tritiated thymidine into human leukaemia (HL-60) cells. Dipetaline was the most active with an IC(50) of 0.68 ppm, followed by alloxanthoxyletin (1.31 ppm), sesamin (2.71 ppm), asarinin (4.12 ppm), xanthoxyletin (3.48 ppm) and xanthylletin (3.84 ppm).