DNA cleavage agents from Schisandra propinqua var. sinensis.

Constituents of Schisandra propinqua (Wall.) Bail var. sinensis Oliv were investigated and 8 compounds were isolated from the stems and their structures were elucidated as (+)-catechin (1), (-)-gallocatechin (2), p-(2 -hydroxyethyl)-phenol-D-glucopyranoside (3), daucosterol (4), manwuweizic acid (5), cerotic acid 1-monoglyceride (6), octocosoic acid (7) and -sitosterol (8) respectively. Based on MS and NMR techniques, (+)-Catechin, (-)-gallocatechin, p-(2 -hydroxyethyl)-phenol-β-D-glucopyranoside, manwuweizic acid, cerotic acid 1-monoglyceride and octocosoic acid were isolated from the plant for the first time. (+)-Catechin and (-)-gallocatechin mediated DNA cleavage with good efficiency at 1 μg/ml. (-)-Gallocatechin show DNA strand-scission activity for the first time.