Several studies have shown that compounds from Acer pseudosieboldianum (Pax) Komarov leaves (APL) display potent anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative activities.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common
cancer among older men, and DNA methylation is associated with PCa progression. This study aimed to investigate the chemopreventive activities of the compounds which were isolated from APL on
prostate cancer cells and elucidate the mechanisms of these compounds in relation to DNA methylation. One novel
ellagitannin [komaniin (14)] and thirteen other known compounds, including
glucose derivatives [ethyl-β-D-glucopyranose (3) and (4R)-p-menth-1-ene-7,8-diol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4)], one phenylpropanoid [junipetrioloside A (5)], three
phenolic acid derivatives [ellagic acid-4-β-D-xylopyranoside (1), 4-O-galloyl-quinic
acid (2), and
gallic acid (8)], two
flavonoids [
quercetin (11) and
kaempferol (12)], and five hydrolysable
tannins [
geraniin (6),
punicafolin (7),
granatin B (9), 1,2,3,4,6-penta-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (10), and mallotusinic
acid (13)] were isolated from APL. The
hydrolyzable tannins (6, 7, 9, 10, 13, and 14) showed potent anti-PCa proliferative and apoptosis-promoting activities. Among the compounds, the
ellagitannins in the dehydrohexahydroxydiphenoyl (DHHDP) group (6, 9, 13, and 14), the novel compound 14 showed the most potent inhibitory activity on
DNA methyltransferase (DNMT1, 3a and 3b) and
glutathione S-transferase P1 methyl removing and re-expression activities. Thus, our results suggested that the
ellagitannins (6, 9, 13, and 14) isolated from APL could be a promising treatment option for PCa.