Chemical profiling of the cytotoxic triterpenoid-concentrating fraction and characterization of ergostane stereo-isomer ingredients from Antrodia camphorata

Antrodia camphorata (AC), also known as Antrodia cinnamomea, an endemic species in Taiwan, is one of the treasured medicinal mushrooms. AC is traditionally used for its chemopreventive biofunctions. In this investigation, we report a convenient method for concentrating the antiproliferative active triterpenoid-rich fraction (FEA), from ethanolic extract of AC (EEAC). A series of stereo-isomers of zhankuic acids (1–8) from the FEA was purified by HPLC using an efficient acidic solvent system. The structures of compounds 1–8 were elucidated based on spectroscopic data analysis, and the absolute configuration of α-chiral carboxylic acid at C-25 in the structures was assigned based on reaction with (R)- and (S)-1-(9-anthryl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol. Major ingredients of FEA (eight ergostanes 1–8 and two lanostanes 9–10) were further characterised by high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection/mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA/MS). Compounds 1–8 and their pair mixture forms (antcin K, antcin C, zhankuic acid C, and zhankuic acid A) were subjected to anti-proliferative assay against three human leukemia cell lines. Among them, the derivatives with carbonyl group at C-3 showed cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 16.44 to 77.04 μg/ml.

► Method concentrating antiproliferative triterpenoid fraction (FEA) was developed.
► A series of stereo-isomers of zhankuic acids from the FEA was purified by HPLC.
► The structures of compounds were elucidated based on spectroscopic data analysis.
► Eight ergostanes and two lanostanes from FEA were characterised by HPLC-PDA/MS.
► Pure compounds and their pair mixtures were subjected to antiproliferative assay.