Cimitriteromone A–G, Macromolecular Triterpenoid–Chromone Hybrids from the Rhizomes of Cimicifuga foetida

Seven unprecedented high molecular weight hybrids of cycloartane triterpenoid saponins and chromone glycosides, namely, Cimitriteromone A–G (1–7), and three known biogenetic precursors (8–10) were isolated from the rhizomes of Cimicifuga foetida by using the HPLC-UV/MS method. The structures of the new compounds were determined by NMR analysis and HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations of sugar moieties were established by a chemical method. The new compounds 2 and 4 showed antiproliferative activities against Taxol-resistant human lung cancer A-549/Taxol with IC50 values of 15.73 ± 0.59 and 24.21 ± 0.61 μM, respectively, while the positive control groups cisplatin and Taxol gave IC50 values of 25.80 ± 1.15 and 0.60 ± 0.09 μM. Notably, compound 4 showed comparable cytotoxicity to the positive control, cisplatin, whereas the corresponding biogenetic precursors compounds 8 and 10 were inactive (IC50 > 40 μM).