Stilbenes, phenanthrenes and antiproliferative activity of Cattleya intermedia

The phytochemical study of Cattleya intermedia (Orchidaceae) led to the isolation of two new stilbenoids and one new 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene, 4′,5-dihydroxy-2′,3-dimethoxy-dihydrostilbene (1), 3,6′-dihydroxy-4′-methoxy-dihydrostilbene (2) and 1,2,6-trihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (3), named cattleymediol, cattleyol and phenanmediol, respectively, in addition to other five known compounds (4–8). The structural elucidations of the isolated compounds were carried out through the analyses of the one-dimensional ¹H,¹³C and NOE NMR spectra, and the 2D HSQC, HMBC, COSY and NOESY spectra, besides high-resolution mass spectrometry. In addition to this, the crude extract and its main fractions were analysed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS), leading to the putative identification of several other compounds, including flavonoids and organic acids derivatives. Finally, the main fractions of the crude extract, and the pure compounds cattleymediol (1) and lusiantridine (7), had their antiproliferative activities evaluated against human cancerous HeLa and non-cancerous VERO cells.