Chemical constituents from the flowers of <i>sphaerocoryne lefevrei</i> (annonaceae)

Phytochemical investigation of the flowers of <i>Sphaerocoryne lefevrei</i> (Baill.) D.M.Johnson & N.A.Murray led to the isolation of thirteen compounds. They consist of one previously undescribed heptenoid, namely 7-benzoyloxy-4-hydroxy-1-ethoxy-(2<i>E</i>,4<i>Z</i>)-heptadiene-1,6-dione (<b>1</b>), one simple benzenoid isolated for the first time from a natural source, namely 2-oxopropyl benzoate (<b>2</b>), and eleven known compounds. The isolated compounds were identified by thorough analysis of spectroscopic (UV, IR and NMR) and spectrometric (HRESIMS) data. The previously undescribed compound <b>1</b> and four known compounds were tested <i>in vitro</i> for anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activities. Compound <b>7</b> showed potent activity against the HeLa cell line (IC₅₀ = 4.7 µM), while compound <b>8</b> displayed moderate activity against the KB cell line (IC₅₀ = 30.7 µM). The latter also showed a moderate NO inhibitory effect in LPS-induced macrophage RAW 264.7 (IC₅₀ = 51.3 µM). This work is the first phytochemical investigation of <i>S. lefevrei</i>.