Clusianone, a naturally occurring nemorosone regioisomer, uncouples rat liver mitochondria and induces HepG2 cell death.

Highlights: [•] Clusianone is a natural occurring acylphloroglucinol with unexplored cytotoxic activity. [•] It induces events in HepG2 cells belonging to the apoptosis process. [•] Clusianone is a protonophoric mitochondrial uncoupler. [•] The cytotoxic and uncoupling potency of clusianone were appreciably lower than those of nemorosone. [•] Probably due to the presence of an intra-molecular hydrogen bonding with the juxtaposed carbonyl group in C15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]