Caudatan A, an undescribed human kidney-type glutaminase inhibitor with tetracyclic flavan from Ohwia caudata.

Human kidney-type glutaminase (KGA) is an important target that is often over expressed in many cancer cells but very few effective inhibitors of this enzyme have yet reached clinical trials. Caudatan A and caudatan B, two undescribed tetracyclic flavans with an unusual ether bond between the C-4 and C-2' were isolated from the roots of Ohwia caudata (Thunb.) H.Ohashi. Caudatan A exhibited stronger inhibitory activity and caudatan B showed moderate effect from the results of inhibitory activities evaluations on KGA. The molecular docking and primary structure-activity relationship analysis revealed that the less steric hindrance at ring A was necessary to the effect. Therefore, combined its better solubility than that of bis-2-(5-phenylacetimido-1,2,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)ethyl sulfide (BPTES), caudatan A might be the potential candidate as the inhibitor of KGA for further studies.