Evaluation of Cytotoxic Activity of Schisandra chinensis Lignans

Using exhaustive chromatographic separation we have isolated (−)-tigloyl-deangeloyl-gomisin F as a novel dibenzocyclooctadiene lignan from Schisandra chinensis. With the help of HPLC, we further isolated (+)-schisandrin, (+)-deoxyschisandrin, (+)-γ-schisandrin, (−)-gomisin J, (+)-gomisin A, (−)-gomisin N, (−)-tigloyl-gomisin P, (−)-wuweizisu C, (−)-gomisin D, rubrisandrin A, (−)-gomisin G, (+)-gomisin K3 and (−)-schisantherin C. A full NMR description of (−)-schisantherin C was carried out with the aim to confirm previous reports of its structure. Compounds isolated were identified on the basis of UV, IR, 1H- and 13C‑NMR and MS. The cytotoxicity of lignans was tested for the BY-2 cell line alone and as a synergistic effect with the cytotoxic agent camptothecin. Lignans showed various toxicity and synergistic and antagonistic effects on camptothecin-induced cytotoxicity. Cytotoxicity against colon cancer cell line LoVo was also tested.