New bioactive clerodane diterpenoids from the bark of Casearia grewiifolia

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of hexane and dichloromethane extracts of the bark of Casearia grewiifolia afforded four new clerodane diterpenes, caseargrewiins A-D (1-4), and two known clerodane diterpenes, rel-(2S,5R,6R,8S,9S,10R,18S,19R)-18,19-diacetoxy-18,19-epoxy-6-methoxy-2-(2-methylbutanoyloxy)cleroda-3,13(16),14-triene (5) and rel-(2S,5R,6R,8S,9S,10R,18S,19R)-18,19-diacetoxy-18,19-epoxy-6-hydroxy-2-(2-methylbutanoyloxy)cleroda-3,13(16),14-triene (6). The structures of 1-4 were established on the basis of the interpretation of their 1D and 2D NMR spectral data. The absolute configuration of 4 was determined by the modified Mosher's method. All compounds exhibited promising antimalarial and antimycobacterial activities but also cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines.