Dehydroleucodine and dehydroparishin-B inhibit proliferation and motility of B16 melanoma cells

Dehydroleucodine, a known sesquiterpene lactone, and dehydroparishin-B, a new guaiane type sesquiterpene acid, were isolated from aerial parts of Artemisia douglasiana by chloroform extraction. We identified dehydroparishin-B as (7R)-2-oxo-guaia-1(10),3(4),5(6),11(13)-tetraen-12-oic acid by MS and NMR methods. We demonstrated that both dehydroparishin-B and dehydroleucodine blocked cell proliferation of B16 melanoma cells, but not normal murine Melan-A melanocytes, in a dose-dependent manner without affecting cell viability. We also found that both dehydroparishin-B and dehydroleucodine inhibited migration of B16 melanoma cells. These results suggest that dehydroleucodine and dehydroparishin-B could represent potential candidates for the treatment of metastatic melanomas.