Obtusifoliol related steroids from Euphorbia sogdiana with cell growth inhibitory activity and apoptotic effects on breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB231)

• Obtusifoliol related steroids were isolated from Euphorbia sogdiana.
• One of the compound is based on a new chemical structure.
• Compounds showed cytotoxic activity on breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB231.
• Apoptotic effect was found for compounds 2 and 3.
• G1 cell cycle arrest and caspase 3 inhibition were also demonstrated.

From the aerial parts of Euphorbia sogdiana Popov, obtusifoliol (1) and two related steroids (2–3) have been isolated and characterized along with a known cycloartane derivative (4). The chemical structure of the obtusifoliol-related compounds, obtained by 1D and 2D NMR, and MS measurements, have been determined as: 3β,7α-dihydroxy-4α,14α-dimethyl-5α-ergosta-8,24(28)-diene-11-one (2) and 3β-hydroxy-4α,14α-dimethyl-5α-ergosta-8,24(28)-diene-1-one (3). Compound 2 has been previously isolated from Euphorbia chamaesyce while compound 3 was never reported before. The isolated compounds 1–4 were subjected to cytotoxic tests on the breast cancer cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB231. Further pharmacological tests on the more active compounds 2 and 3 indicated their action to be related to cell growth inhibitory activity and apoptotic effects on the tested cells.

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