Cichorins D-F: Three New Compounds from Cichorium intybus and Their Biological Effects

Cichorium intybus L., (chicory) is employed in various traditional medicines to treat a wide range of diseases and disorders. In the current investigation, two new naphthalane derivatives viz., cichorins D (1) and E (2), along with one new anthraquinone cichorin F (3), were isolated from Cichorium intybus. In addition, three previously reported compounds viz., β-sitosterol (4), β-sitosterol β-glucopyranoside (5), and stigmasterol (6) were also isolated from Cichorium intybus. Their structures were established via extensive spectroscopic data, including 1D (¹H and ¹³C) and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC and HMBC), and ESIMS. Cichorin E (2) has a weak cytotoxic effect on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-468: IC₅₀: 85.9 µM) and Ewing's sarcoma cells (SK-N-MC: IC₅₀: 71.1 µM); cichorin F (3) also illustrated weak cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-468: IC₅₀: 41.0 µM and MDA-MB-231: IC₅₀: 45.6 µM), and SK-N-MC cells (IC₅₀: 71.9 µM). Moreover compounds 1-3 did not show any promising anthelmintic effects.

Keywords: Asteraceae; Cichorium intybus; anthraquinone; cytotoxic effects; naphthalene; natural product.