DNA strand-scission by phloroglucinols and lignans from heartwood of Garcinia subelliptica Merr. and Justicia plants

Phloroglucinols, garcinielliptones HA (1), HB (2), HC (3), HD (4) and HE (5), isolated from the heartwood of Garcinia subelliptica, were identified by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data. In the presence of Cu(II), compound 3 and lignans, isolated from Justicia plants, 8, 10 and 11 caused significant breakage of supercoiled plasmid pBR322.