Structural Elucidation and Cytotoxic Activity of New Monoterpenoid Indoles from Gelsemium elegans

Two new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, gelselegandines F (1) and G (2), were isolated from the aerial parts ofGelsemium elegans. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic techniques and quantum chemical calculations. The ECD calculations were conducted at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level and NMR calculations were carried out using the Gauge-Including Atomic Orbitals (GIAO) method. Structurally, the two new compounds possessed rare, cage-like, monoterpenoid indole skeletons. All isolated compounds and the total alkaloids extract were tested for cytotoxicity against four different tumor cell lines. The total alkaloids extract ofG. elegansexhibited significant antitumor activity with IC50values ranging from 32.63 to 82.24 ug/mL. In order to discover anticancer leads from the active extraction, both new indole compounds (1–2) were then screened for cytotoxicity. Interestingly, compound2showed moderate cytotoxicity against K562 leukemia cells with an IC50value of 57.02 uM.Keywords:gelselegandines F and G;cytotoxicity;leukemic cells;Gelsemium elegans