Biologically active phenols from Saussurea medusa.

Sixteen phenolic compounds were isolated from the polar fraction of Saussurea medusa and were structurally elucidated by chemical evidences and spectral methods. These compounds include two new lignan glucosides, namely medusasides A (1) and B (2), and fourteen known phenolic compounds (3-16). One major compound, apigenin 7-O-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside] (6) showed remarkable activity to attenuate the scopolamine induced memory deficit of mice. Compound 6 and another major one, quercetin (8) also exhibited moderate cell protecting activities against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) induced PC12 cell damage.