Planta Med 2006; 72 - P_268
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-950068

Triterpene saponins from Calendula arvensis

H Kirmizibekmez 1, 2, C Bassarello 3, C Pizza 3, I Calis 2
  • 1Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yeditepe University, TR-34755 Erenkoy, Istanbul, Turkey
  • 2Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, TR-06100 Ankara, Turkey
  • 3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Salerno, Via Ponte Don Melillo 84084 Fisciano-Salerno, Italy

Calendula species especially C. officinalis L. (Marigold) are widely used in European and western Asian traditional medicines for skin complaints, wounds, burn, dysmenorrhoea and duodenal ulcers [1]. As a part of our studies on the Turkish medicinal plants, we investigated the secondary metabolites of C. arvensis L., which is used as sudorific and for the treatment of menstrual irregularities in Anatolian folk medicine [2].

The aerial parts were extracted with MeOH. The MeOH extract was suspended in water and partitioned successively with n-hexane, CH2Cl2, EtOAc and n-BuOH. Extensive chromatographic studies on the n-BuOH soluble fraction led to the isolation of a new triterpene saponin, arvensoside C (1) in addition to four known saponins, arvensosides A and B, glycoside C and calenduloside D. Three known flavonol glycosides, isorhamnetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and quercetin 3-O-β-D-galactopyranoside were also obtained and characterized from the EtOAc fraction. The structures of the isolates were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR and MS experiments.

References: 1. Yoshikawa, M. et al. (2001), Chem. Pharm. Bull. 49: 863–870. 2. Baytop, T. (1999), Therapy with Medicinal Plants in Turkey (Past and Present), Nobel Tip Kitapevleri. Istanbul, p. 371.