COX-1, COX-2 Inhibitors and Antifungal Agents from Croton hutchinsonianus

Abstract

Two new compounds, 3′-(4″-hydroxy-3″,5″-dimethoxyphenyl)-propyl benzoate (1) and 3′-(4″-hydroxyphenyl)-propyl benzoate (3) together with known compounds, 3′-(4″-hydroxy-3″-methoxyphenyl)-propyl benzoate (2), poilaneic acid (4), farnesyl acetone (5) and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (6) were isolated and identified from the branches of Croton hutchinsonianus. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. The three phenylpropyl benzoates (1—3) were found to exhibit antifungal activity against Candida albicans (IC₅₀ 5.36—11.41 μg/ml). Compounds 1—2 (IC₅₀ 2.11—4.95 μg/ml) exhibited potent but non-selective activity against the enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) whereas 3 (IC₅₀ 1.88 μg/ml) preferentially inhibited the enzyme COX-2.