Sesquiterpenoids from the Resina Commiphora Promoting the Apoptotic Activity of PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cells.

Four new germacrane-type sesquiterpenes commiphoranes M1-M4 (1-4) together with eighteen sesquiterpenes were isolated from the Resina Commiphora. The structures and relative configurations of new substances were determined by using spectroscopic methods. Biological activity investigation revealed that nine compounds including 7, 9, 14, 16, (+)-17, (-)-17, 18, 19, and 20 could induce the apoptosis of prostate cancer originated PC-3 cells, through classic apoptosis signaling pathway, even using flow cytometry showed that the compound (+)-17 caused apoptosis of PC-3 cells more than 40 %, suggesting their potential therapeutic application in the development of novel drugs against prostate cancer.