Gansongon, a New Aristolane Ketone from Nardostachys chinesis Batalin and Structure Revision of an Aristolenol.

A new instable aristolane type sesquiterpene ketone, gansongone ( 1), was isolated from the fresh underground parts of NARDOSTACHYS CHINESIS Batalin (Valerianaceae), growing in the province Sichuan (China). The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. The structure of the corresponding alcohol 2, which was also found in N. CHINENSIS and formerly regarded as 9-aristolene-1alpha-ol ( 5) has to be revised to l(10)-aristolene-9beta-ol ( 2) from results of 2D-NMR-spectroscopy and oxidation to 1. Besides 1 and 2, the following compounds have been identified in the ethanol extract of the fresh plant material of N. CHINENSIS: nardosinone, nardosinondiol, deoxonarchinol A, beta-sitosterol, oleanolic acid, ethyl beta- D-glucopyranoside.