Lignans and triterpenes from the root of Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum

Two new lignans, pseuderesinol (1), pseuderanoside (2) and a new triterpene, pseuderanic acid (3) were isolated from the dried root of Pseuderanthemum carruthersii (SEEM.) GUILL. var. atropurpureum (BULL.) FOSB. (Acanthaceae), together with ten known compounds, including five lignans, (+)-eudesmin (4), (+)-magnolin (5), (+)-syringaresinol (6), (+)-episyringaresinol (7), (+)-1-hydroxysyringaresinol (8) and five triterpenes, squalene (9), oleanolic acid (10), lupeol (11), betulin (12), betulinic acid (13). Their chemical structures were elucidated by 1D- and 2D-NMR, computational quantum chemistry, as well as high resolution-electrospray ionization (HR-ESI)-MS spectroscopic analysis. The acetylcholinesterase inhibition and cytotoxic activities against HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines were evaluated on some purified compounds at the concentration of 100 µg/mL. Pseuderesinol (1) and magnolin (5) exhibited moderate cytotoxic activities against the MCF-7 cancer cell line.