Isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds from the bark of Litsea costalis

•Four bioactive compounds were isolated from Litsea costalis.•Their structures and stereochemistry were determined using 1D and 2D NMR data.•IR and NMR data in combination with DFT confirm the structures of the compounds.•Compounds showed anticancer activity against cancer cells and antioxidant (DPPH).

The bark of Litsea costalis affords two new compounds named 4,4′-diallyl-5,5′-dimethoxy-[1,1′-biphennyl]-2,2′-diol, biseugenol A (1) and 2,2′-oxybis (4-allyl-1-methoxybenzene), biseugenol B (2) along with two known compounds (3–4), namely 5-methoxy-2-Hydroxy Benzaldehyde (3), and (E)-4-styrylphenol (4). The structures of 1 and 2 were determined using 1D and 2D NMR data. Also, the IR and NMR data were combined with quantum chemical calculations in the DFT approach using the hybrid B3LYP exchange–correlation function to confirm the structures of the compounds. Compounds showed fairly potent anticancer activity against cell lines and antioxidant (DPPH).

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