A new pyrrole alkaloid isolated from<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arum palaestinum</Emphasis> Boiss. and its biological activities

The phytochemical analysis of the ethyl acetate fraction ofArum palaestinum Boiss. (Araceae) led to the isolation and identification of a new polyhydroxy alkaloid compound; (S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-one (1), and other five known compounds; caffeic acid (2), isoorientin (3), luteolin (4) and vicenin II (5), as well as the rare compound 3,6,8-trimethoxy, 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxy flavone (6). The structural elucidations of all the compounds were based on spectroscopic data (¹H- and¹³C-NMR, DEPT, HSQC, HMBC and NOE difference techniques) and comparison with literature data. Investigation of the antioxidant activity of the ethyl acetate fraction indicated its strong scavenging capacity for 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals (SC₅₀ 3.1 ±0.82 μg/mL). Moreover, the treatment of different human cancer cell lines with the ethyl acetate fraction led to dose-dependant suppression in the proliferation of both breast carcinoma cells (MCF-7; IC₅₀ 59.09±4.1 μg/mL) and lymphoblastic leukemia cells (1301; IC₅₀ 53.1±2.9 μg/mL); however, it was found to have no effect on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Hep G2).