Chemical constituents of Dracocephalum forrestii.

A systematic phytochemical examination of the whole plant Dracocephalum forrestii led to the isolation of 4 new and 65 known chemical constituents. By detailed 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses, the new compounds were identified as 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylethanol 8- O-[(6- O-syringoyl)- beta- D-glucopyranoside] (1), 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenylethanol beta- D-glucopyranoside ( 2), 4- O-[ beta- D-glucopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)- alpha- L-rhamnopyranosyl]phenylethylcinnamamide (3), and 9''- O- N-butyl lithospermate (4). The new isolates were evaluated for inhibitory activities against LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Compound 2 revealed a moderate effect without any cytotoxicity under the assayed concentrations. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart. New York.