DISCOVERIES

DITERPENES

Source Plant

Two diterpenes, one active with anti-HIV activity and the other the first report of the compound as a natural product, were isolated from Chrysobalanus icaco subsp. atacorensis (A.Chev.) F.White, originally collected in the Manovo-Gounda-St. Floris National Park in the Central African Republic in December of 1987 (Fay 8345).

Chemical Structure

 Diterpene 

Activity

The diterpene ent-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid showed in vitro activity in the NCI's anti-HIV screen.

Reference

Gustafson, K.R., M.H.G. Munro, B.W. Blunt, J.H. Cardellina II, J.B. McMahon, R.J. Gulakowski, G.M. Cragg, P.A. Cox, L.S. Brinen, J. Clardy, and M.R. Boyd. 1991. HIV inhibitory natural products. 3. Diterpenes from Homalanthus acuminatus and Chrysobalanus icaco. Tetrahedron 47:4547-4554.

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