Three new labdanes with 8α,15-epoxy ring [methyl 8α,15-epoxylabdan-16β-oate, 8α,15-epoxylabdan-16β-ol and 8α,15-epoxy-16-norlabdan-13β-ol] and five known compounds [8α,15-epoxy-16-norlabdan-13-one, 8α,15-epoxylabdan-16β-oic acid, 3β-(3'',4''-dihydroxy)(E)-cinnamoyloxylup-20(29)-ene, 3-(2',3',4',6'-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy)β-sitosterol and 16-acetoxy-8α,15-epoxylabdane] were isolated from toluene and dichloromethane extracts of aerial parts of Eragrostis viscosa. The structures of all the compounds were established based on their spectroscopic data and X-ray diffraction analysis of 8α,15-epoxylabdan-16β-ol. It was also studied the genotoxicity of E. viscosa, particularly compounds 16-acetoxy-8α, 15-epoxylabdane, 8α,15-epoxy-16-norlabdan-13-one and 8α, 15-epoxilabdan-16β-ol, using a cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay and the Ames test to assess mutagenicity. Both assays were negative. Cytotoxicity was also analyzed using an MTT assay, and 8α,15-epoxy-16β-ol was shown to be the most cytotoxic of the compounds tested. E. viscosa extracts were also tested to determine their antioxidant capacities, peroxide values and total phenolic contents.
Eragrostis viscosa; 8α,15-epoxylabdanes; mutagenic activity; cytotoxic activity; genotoxicity
