Three undescribed phenylbutenoids derivatives from Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. rhizomes and their biological activities

Phenylbutenoids belong to polyphenolic compounds that have demonstrated distinctive biological activities and are primarily characterised in the genus Zingiber (Zingiberaceae) species. From the EtOAc extract of the rhizomes of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb., three phenylbutenoid-type compounds, cassudimin B (1), cassumunol O (2), and cassumunol P (3), were isolated, along with five known compounds (4-8). Their structures were characterised through spectroscopic evidence and reference data. Biological activity investigation revealed that compounds 4, 5, and 8 exhibited promising potential for anti-α-glucosidase with IC₅₀ values of 151.5, 180.1, and 39.5 µM, respectively, surpassing the positive control acarbose (IC₅₀, 190.6 µM). Additionally, compounds 3-8 displayed cytotoxic effects on HepG2 cells ranging from 12.0 to 293.2 µM.