Numerous clinically valuable medicines, including anticancer drugs, have been developed from biologically active natural compounds and their structurally related derivatives. This review discusses novel natural compounds with promising biological activities and those with novel chemical structures. Glaziovianin A, an isoflavone isolated from the leaves of
Ateleia glazioviana (Legminosae), inhibited cell cycle progression at the M-phase with an abnormal spindle structure. AU-1 and YG-1, 5β-steroidal glycosides isolated from the whole plants of
Agave utahensis and the underground parts of
Yucca glauca (Agavaceae), induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells
via caspase-3 activation. Lycolicidinol, an alkaloid isolated from the bulbs of
Lycoris albiflora (Amaryllidaceae), induced transient autophagy and morphological changes in mitochondria in the early stage of the apoptotic cell death process in HSC-2 cells. Taccasterosides isolated from the rhizomes of
Tacca chantrieri (Taccaceae) and stryphnosides isolated from the pericarps of
Stryphnodendron fissuratum (Legminosae) are steroidal and triterpene glycosides with unique chemical structures having novel sugar sequences.
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