A phenyldilactone, bisnorsesquiterpene, and cytotoxic phenolics from Maytenus senegalensis leaves

Maytenus senegalensis Lam. (Celastraceae) leaves are traditionally used in West Africa for the management of cancer and other disorders associated with inflammation. In this study, bioactivity-guided fractionation of the methanol leaf extract of Maytenus senegalensis led to the isolation of 11 compounds, including the new phenyldilactone, maysedilactone (1). All isolated compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against mouse lymphoma cell line (L5178Y). Only (−) epigallocathechin showed high cytotoxicity and completely inhibited cell growth at the investigated dose of 10 μg/mL. This result supports the claimed efficacy of Maytenus senegalensis leaf extract in ethnomedicinal treatment of cancer.