Terpenoids with cytotoxic activity from the branches and leaves of Pyrus pashia

Twenty terpenoids, including a new triterpenoid ( 1 ) and a new monoterpenoid ( 20 ), were isolated from the branches and leaves of Pyrus pashia . The structures of two new compounds were determined to be 2α, 3β, 27-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid ( 1 ) and (4α)-3-(5,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuranyl)-1-buten-3-ol 3- O -β- d -glucopyranoside ( 20 ) on the basis of spectroscopic analysis (IR, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR) and chemical method. Some of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines by MTT assay, using cisplatin as a positive control. Compound 14 exhibited cytotoxic activities against A549 (IC 50   =   19.18   ±   4.26   μM), Hela (IC 50   =   12.56   ±   3.89   μM), SGC7901 (IC 50   =   10.48   ±   1.95   μM) and NHI-1975 (IC 50   =   7.38   ±   2.31   μM) cell lines as well as compound 12 displayed cytotoxic activities against A549 (IC 50   =   14.71   ±   1.47   μM) and Hela (IC 50   =   12.22   ±   1.88   μM) cell lines.