Sesquiterpene coumarin and sesquiterpene chromone derivatives from Ferula ferulaeoides (Steud.) Korov

Five novel compounds - three sesquiterpene coumarin derivatives, ferulin A (1), B (2), and C (3), and two sesquiterpene chromone derivatives, ferulin D (4) and E (5), together with eleven known compounds (6-16) have been isolated from the roots of Ferula ferulaeoides (Steud.) Korov. Their structures were established by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis. The biosynthetic pathways leading to these compounds were proposed. The cytotoxicity of all these isolates against HepG2, MCF-7, and C6 cancer cell lines was evaluated and compound 7 displayed the highest potency against HepG2, MCF-7, and C6 with IC50 values 39.9 μM, 37.7 μM, and 16.0 μM, respectively.