Kneglomeratanol, kneglomeratanones A and B, and related bioactive compounds from Knema glomerata.

One new phenylalkyl phenol, kneglomeratanol [1], and two new acetophenones, kneglomeratanones A [2] and B [3], together with ten known compounds, 3-(12'-phenyldodecyl)-phenol [4], 3-(10'-phenyldecyl)-phenol [5], 5-pentadecylresorcinol [6], 5-(10'-phenyldecyl)-resorcinol [7], 5-(12'-phenyldodecyl)-resorcinol [8], 2,4-dihydroxy-6-(10'-phenyldecyl)-acetophenone [9], 2-hydroxy-6-(12'-phenyldodecyl)-benzoic acid [10], formononetin, biochanin A, and 8-O-methylretusin, have been isolated from the stem bark of Knema glomerata. Brine shrimp lethality was used for the activity-directed chromatographic fractionations. All of these compounds showed moderate but significant toxicities to three human tumor cell lines and inhibited the growth of crown gall tumors on discs of potato tubers.