Longimicins A-D: novel bioactive acetogenins from Asimina longifolia (annonaceae) and structure-activity relationships of asimicin type of annonaceous acetogenins

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the ethanol extract of Asimina longifolia led to the isolation of four novel bioactive annonaceous acetogenins: longimicins A-D (1-4). Compounds 1-4 represent the asimicin type of acetogenins; however, the locations of the adjacent bis-tetrahydrofuran (THF) ring moieties are shifted along the aliphatic chains compared to the known compounds of this type. They are the first examples among this type of acetogenins with the placements of the ring systems altered. Compounds 1-4 showed bioactivities in several bioassays, but they are less active than their structural isomers. Study of their structure-activity relationships (SAR) reveals that the position of the adjacent bis-THF ring moiety is essential for maximization of the bioactivities among these asimicin type annonaceous acetogenins.