Isolation and identification of biologically active compounds from Forsythia viridissima flowers.

Flavonol glycosides, rutin and isoquercitrin, lignan glycosides, arctiin and matairesinoside, as well as phenylethanoid verbascoside (= acteoside), ursolic acid and beta-sitosterol have been isolated from the flowers of Forsythia viridissima. Two other isolated substances were characterized respectively as a wax and a hydrocoloidal polysaccharide consisting of galactose, galacturonic acid, arabinose, glucose, xylose, and rhamnose.