ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Cytotoxic components from Pluchea pteropoda Hemsl. stems: separation, biological activity, and molecular docking study

Nham-Linh Nguyen, Thi Nga Vo, Hoang Long Ngo, Quoc Hoa Nguyen, Thi-Phuong Nguyen, Hoa Ninh Luong, Thanh Tung Nguyen, and Quang Ton That

Chemical and Food Technology Department, University of Technology and Education, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

E-mail: ngavt@hcmute.edu.vn

Received: 27 August 2025  Accepted: 26 January 2026

Abstract:

Pluchea pteropoda (P. pteropoda) is used in Vietnamese traditional medicine to treat fever, inflammation, and respiratory irritation. However, there is only phytochemical study on P. pteropoda, where seven thiophene chemicals were detected from a hexane extract, but its chemical makeup and anticancer potential are unknown. In this work, different compounds were extracted from P. pteropoda stem and analyzed, then their antiproliferative effects were tested on HepG2 cells in vitro. After extraction with 70% ethanol, fractionation with hexane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol, the dried P. pteropoda stem powder was purified using repeated C18 column chromatography and preparative HPLC. The structures of the isolated compounds were identified using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Their antiproliferative effects were investigated via an MTT experiment on HepG2 cells using doxorubicin as a positive investigated. Herein, P. pteropoda developed five new compounds, including a unique dicaffeoylcyclopentanol derivative (1α,3β-O-dicaffeoylcyclopentan-2β-ol, compound 1). Compound 2 (1α,2β-O-dicaffeoylcyclopentan-3β-ol) showed minor anti-proliferative activity (IC₅₀ ≈ 0.89 mM) against HepG2 cells, whereas other isolates showed no significant inhibition (up to 1 mM). Compound 2 has 200-fold lower potency than doxorubicin, with an IC₅₀ of 4 µM under similar circumstances. Compound 2’s lower efficiency compared to doxorubicin may be due to structural issues, such as minor hydroxyl group placement on the cyclopentane core (between compounds 1 and 2). In conclusion, this work presents the first phytochemical profile of P. pteropoda and identifies a new caffeoyl derivative. The ability of P. pteropoda to generate novel anti-cancer compounds highlights its biological significance and suggests further research into optimization strategies (e.g., structural modifications or synergistic formulations) to improve efficacy. These results help fill a knowledge gap and encourage the study of P. pteropoda-derived compounds as prospective complementary cancer treatments, especially compared to current plant-derived treatments.

Keywords: Pluchea pteropoda; Antiproliferation; HepG2; Dicaffeolyl derivatives

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04703-x

Chemical Papers 80 (5) 5243–5251 (2026)