Chemical constituents derived from Drimys brasiliensis Miers (Winteraceae).

Phytochemical investigation on Drimys brasiliensis afforded the isolation and characterisation of four drimane sesquiterpenes: polygodial (1), warburganal (2), 1-β-(p-coumaroyloxy)polygodial (3) and 1-β-(p-methoxycinnamoyl)polygodial (4), as well as four flavonoids: quercitrin (5), astilbin (6), isoastilbin (7) and neoastilbin (8). The structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectral data and compared with those reported in the literature. Compounds 2, 5-8 have been reported to occur for the first time in D. brasiliensis, while compounds 5, 7 and 8 have been reported to occur for the first time in the genus Drimys. The chemotaxonomic significance of these compounds, mainly flavonoids 5-8 in D. brasiliensis, was summarised.