Flavanones from Matteuccia struthiopteris

The rhizome of Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Todaro (Onocleaceae) is a traditional Chinese medicine, named Jiaguojue Guanzhong in Chinese [1]. Its clinical use is the same as the rhizome of Dryopteris crassirhizoma, named as Mianma Guanzhong recorded in Chinese pharmacopoeia [2]. In continuation of our studies on the phytochemical investigation of traditional Chinese medicine Guanzhong, we report herein the isolation of four flavanones from the ethanolic extract of M. struthiopteris. The four flavanones are matteucinol (1), desmethoxymatteucinol (2), 5,7,3'-trihydroxy-6,8-dimethyl-4'-methoxy-flavanone (3), matteucinol-7-O-glucoside (4). Their structures were determined on the basis of UV, 1D, 2D-NMR, MS and reported data. The compound 3 and 4 have been isolated for the first time from this source.

Acknowledgements: Thanks for the support from the innovation team of science and technology project (The Discovery and Development of Leading Compounds from TCM) of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. References: [1] Medical College of New Jiangsu. (1977) Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian, p.1484. [2] The Pharmacopoeia Commission of P.R. China. (2010) The Pharmacopoeia of P.R. China I: 310.