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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

Rapid High-throughput Species Identification of Botanical Material Using Direct Analysis in Real Time High Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Rapid High-throughput Species Identification of Botanical Material Using Direct Analysis in Real Time High Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Published on: October 2, 2016

Antiproliferative withanolides from Datura wrightii.

Huaping Zhang¹, Joseph Bazzill, Robert J Gallagher

¹Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA.

Journal of Natural Products

|December 21, 2012

Summary

Researchers discovered a new withanolide, withawrightolide, from Datura wrightii. This compound and others showed significant antiproliferative activity against various cancer cells.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 15, 2026

Rapid High-throughput Species Identification of Botanical Material Using Direct Analysis in Real Time High Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Rapid High-throughput Species Identification of Botanical Material Using Direct Analysis in Real Time High Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Published on: October 2, 2016

Area of Science:

Natural Products Chemistry
Pharmacology
Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

Datura wrightii is a plant species known to produce bioactive compounds.
Withanolides are a class of steroidal lactones with diverse pharmacological properties.

Purpose of the Study:

To isolate and characterize novel and known withanolides from Datura wrightii.
To evaluate the antiproliferative potential of these compounds against cancer cell lines.

Main Methods:

Isolation of compounds using chromatographic techniques.
Structure elucidation of a new withanolide (withawrightolide) using 2D NMR and spectroscopic methods.
Confirmation of a known withanolide structure via X-ray crystallography.
Assessment of antiproliferative activity using MTS viability assays.

Main Results:

A new withanolide, withawrightolide (1), was identified.
Four known withanolides (2-5) were also isolated.
Compounds 1-5 exhibited antiproliferative effects against human glioblastoma (U251, U87), head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (MDA-1986), and normal fetal lung fibroblast (MRC-5) cells.
The IC50 values ranged from 0.56 to 5.6 μM.

Conclusions:

Datura wrightii is a source of structurally diverse withanolides with potent anticancer properties.
Withawrightolide is a promising new compound for further investigation in cancer therapy.
The isolated withanolides demonstrate significant potential for development as chemotherapeutic agents.