Secondary metabolites from the aerial parts of Stachys tetragona, a Greek endemic species

Continuing our research on the chemical constituents of Stachys sp., we report here the results of the investigation of Stachys tetragona Boiss. & Heldr., a Greek endemic species growing wild to Evia island (Aegean Sea), belonging to the subsection Olisia [1]. Greece is an area particularly rich in taxa [2]. The dichloromethane extract of the aerial parts yielded oleanolic acid, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol; while the methanol extract afforded isoscutellarein 7-O-[6'''-O-acetyl-β-D-allopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside, isoscutellarein 7-O-[6'''-O-acetyl-β-D-allopyranosyl (1→2)-6''-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, kaempferol, caffeic acid, acteoside, leucosceptoside A, forsythoside B, stachysoside D, lamiophlomiside, betonyoside F, (7S, 8R)-urolignoside, 8-acetyl-harpagide, 5-O-β-allopyranosyloxy-monomelittoside. The structure of the compounds was elucidated by NMR spectroscopy. Concerning the flavonoid content, S. tetragona revealed to possess similar profile to S. ionica Halácsy, a species wholly confined to the islands of the Ionian Sea [3].

References: 1. Bhattacharjee, R. (1980) Taxonomic studies in Stachys: II. A new infrageneric classification of Stachys L. Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 38: 65–96. 2. Greuter, W. Burdet, H. M., Long, G. (1986) Med-Checklist, Vol. 3. Editions des Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève, Genève. 3. Meremeti, A. et al. (2004) BSE, 32: 139–151.