Polar constituents from Salvia willeana, growing wild in Cyprus

S. willeana (Holmboe) Hedge (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic herb endemic to Cyprus, and locally common in the Troodos range. Its extracts or infusions are used as tonics and anti-diarrhoeal agents. The plant can also be used to halt milk production in nursing mothers and has a strong antiseptic action [1]. We previously reported the activity of the lipophilic extract of the aerial parts and isolated terpenes on different pro-inflammatory mediators and their influence on both T lymphocyte proliferation and the cell cycle [2]. The chemical analysis of the polar extract (MeOH:H₂O 5:1) yielded two triterpenoids, ursolic (1) and maslinic acids (2), one monoterpene glucoside, (1S,2R,4R)-1,8-epoxy-p-menthan-2-yl-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), one megastigmane glucoside, (6R,9S)-3-oxo-α-ionol β-D-glucopyranoside (4), five phenolic compounds, hydroxy-tyrosol (5), p-anisic acid (6), syringin (7), 1-O-p-hydroxybenzoyl-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (8), eugenyl glucoside (9), two acetophenones, 4-O-β-D-glucopyranosylacetophenone (10), and 4-hydroxy-acetophenone 4-O-(3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxybenzoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (11), two caffeic acid oligomers, rosmarinic acid (12), salvianolic acid K (13), three flavonoids, luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (14), 6-hydroxyluteolin 7-O-β-D-glucoside (15), hesperidin (16), two lignans, syringaresinol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (17), pinoresinol-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (18) and two fatty acids, linoleic acid (19), methyl α-linolenate (20). To the best of our knowledge compound 11 is a new one. Compounds 4, 16, 17, 18 are reported in Salvia L. for the very first time, while compounds 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 have been mentioned once in that genus and compound 4 twice. The analysis revealed that the chemical profile of S. willeana is close to that of S. officinalis L., a traditional herbal medicinal product against mild dyspeptic complaints, excessive sweating, mouth or throat or skin inflammations.

Keywords: Salvia willeana, acetophenones, megastigmane glucoside, caffeic acid oligomers, flavonoids, lignans, terpenes, fatty acids.

References:

[1] Tsintidis T. The Endemic Plants of Cyprus. Cyprus: Editions of Bank of Cyprus Nicosia; 1995: 88

[2] Vonaparti A, Karioti A, Recio MC, Máñez S, Ríos JL, Skaltsa H, Giner RM. Effects of Terpenoids from Salvia willeana in Delayed-type Hypersensitivity, Human Lymphocyte Proliferation and Cytokine Production. Nat. Prod. Comm. 2008; 12: 1953 – 1958