Hydroxytyrosyl punicate: A first overview of a novel phenolipid with antiproliferative and antitrypanosomal activity

[Display omitted] •Phenolipid has been created by esterifying punicic acid with hydroxytyrosol (HT-PA)•HT-PA was more active than HT or PA against cell lung carcinoma A549 cells.•The phenolipid displayed positive activity against Trypanosoma brucei parasites.•HT-PA showed > 100-fold selectivity for T. brucei over healthy MRC-5 cells. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and phenolic compounds are two families of natural products that have been widely investigated for their health benefits. The aim of this study was to prepare the novel phenolipid hydroxytyrosyl punicate (HT-PA) and evaluate its antiproliferative and antiparasitic properties. HT-PA was synthesized from hydroxytyrosol (HT) and punicic acid (PA) in a two-step chemical synthesis. HT-PA had an EC50 of 8.93 µM against non–small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells and was more active than HT or PA. It achieved a selectivity index of 11.20 for tumor cell line A549 over non-tumor cell line MCR-5. HT-PA displayed 80-fold and 60-fold greater activity against Trypanosoma brucei parasites (EC50 of 0.95 µM) compared with HT and PA, respectively, and > 100-fold selectivity for T. brucei over healthy MRC-5 cells.