Eremophilenolides and other constituents from the roots of Ligularia sagitta.

Chemical investigation of the roots of Ligularia sagitta has resulted in the characterization of six eremophilenolides 6beta,8beta-dimethoxy-10beta-hydroxyeremophil-7(11)-en-12,8alpha-olide (1), 6beta-angeloyloxy-10beta-hydroxy-8beta-methoxyeremophil-7(11)-en-12,8alpha-olide (2), 6beta-(2'-methylbutanoyloxy)-10beta-hydroxy-8beta-methoxyeremophil-7(11)-en-12,8alpha-olide (3), 6beta-angeloyloxy-10beta-hydroxy-8alpha-methoxyeremophil-7(11)-en-12,8beta-olide (4), 6beta-(2'-methylbutanoyloxy)-10beta-hydroxy-8alpha-methoxyeremophil-7(11)-en-12,8beta-olide (5) and 8beta,10beta-dihydroxy-6beta-methoxyeremophil-7(11)-en-12,8alpha-olide (6), together with one monoterpene (3 R,4 R,6 S)-3,6-dihydroxy-1-menthene (7), two triterpenes lupeol (8) and ursolic acid (9), and beta-sitosterol (10). The structures of five new constituents (1-5) were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 2D-NMR experiments. The compounds 1, 5 and 7 showed antibacterial activity by being assayed against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.