Chemical constituents of Saniculiphyllum guangxiense.

The first phytochemical investigation on Saniculiphyllum guangxiense resulted in the isolation of two new triterpenoids, 16β-hydroxybryodulcosigenin (3) and 3α-O-feruloylolean-12-en-27-oic acid (6), together with six known compounds, menisdaurin (1), purshianin (2), oleanolic acid (4), 3β-hydroxyolean-12-en-27-oic acid (5), β-sitosterol (7), and daucosterol (8), which were characterized by extensive spectroscopic analyses and in one case by X-ray diffraction. According to this primary investigation, S. guangxiense is rich in nitrile glucosides and triterpenoids, of which menisdaurin (1; 0.06%) and purshianin (2; 0.015%) are the main constituents. Compounds 1-6 were assayed for their anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activities against the secretion of HBsAg and HBeAg, as well as HBV DNA replication on Hep G 2.2.15 cell line in vitro. The most active compound, menisdaurin (1), inhibits HBV DNA replication with an IC(50) value of 0.32 mM (SI>11.97).