A study of an EtOH extract obtained from the roots of the Madagascan plant Terminalia tropophylla H. Perrier
(Combretaceae) led to isolation of the oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin 1, the lignan derivative 2,
and the two known saponins arjunglucoside I (3) and sericoside (4). The structures of compounds 1 (terminaliaside
A) and 2 (40-O-cinnamoyl cleomiscosin A) were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR experiments
and mass spectrometry. Compound 1 showed antiproliferative activity against the A2780
human ovarian cancer cell line with an IC50 value of 1.2 lM.