Isolation and structural identification of new phenolic compounds from Emblica Officinalis fruits

Emblica officinalis Gaertn. (=Phyllanthus emblica L.) is widely distributed in subtropical and tropical areas, and has been used in traditional medicinal systems such as Ayurvedic medicine. Our investigation of the constituents led to the isolation of five new compounds from an extract of the fruits. Their chemical structures were determined by spectral and chemical methods. Compound 1 was a new ellagitannin closely related to elaeocarpusin (=ascorgeraniin), which is a condensation product from geraniin and ascorbic acid. Compounds 2-5 were esters of organic acids or glucose with a depsidically linked digalloyl group forming mixtures due to the equilibration between the m- and p-depside linkages.