Constituents of Justicia pectoralis Jacq. 2. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of simple coumarins, 3-phenylpropionic acids and their hydroxy and methoxy derivatives.

The analysis of extracts from the South American plant Justicia pectoralis Jacq. permitted the identification, among other compounds, of coumarin, dihydrocoumarin, umbelliferone and 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS); the acids and phenolic compounds were derivatized with diazomethane. GC/MS of simple coumarins, phenylpropionic acids and their hydroxylated isomers was performed after derivatization through methylation and trimethylsilylation; these results may be useful for the identification and quantification of these compounds in other biological materials.