New monoterpene glycosides from the root cortex of Paeonia suffruticosa and their potential anti-inflammatory activity.

The methanol extract of the root cortex of Paeonia suffruticosa afforded two new monoterpene glycosides, paeoniside A (1) and paeoniside B (2), and three known monoterpene glycosides, paeoniflorin (3), benzoylpaeoniflorin (4) and 4-O-methyl-paeoniflorin (5). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic means including 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Compounds 1-5 were found to be active against cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 enzymes.