Sesquiterpene lactones from the aerial parts of Anthemis melanolepis L

Continuing our research on the chemical constituents from the aerial parts of Greek Anthemis melanolepis L., a species belonging to the section Cota [1], we report here the isolation and identification of six sesquiterpene lactones, luteolin, 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid, loliolide and taraxasterol. The isolation was proceeded according to the Bohlmann isolation method [2]. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, particularly high-field NMR spectroscopy. Compounds 1, 2 and 3 namely melanolepin B, anthemin A and anthemin B are three new naturally occurring sesquiterpene lactones. Besides compounds 1-3, three known sesquiterpene lactones were isolated, namely dentatin A, 1β,4α,6α-trihydroxy-eudesm-11-en-8α-12-olide and desacetyllaurenobiolide.

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Acknowledgments: This project is co-financed within Op. Education by the ESF (European Social Fund) and National Resources.

References: [1] Davis P. H. (1975), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean islands, Edinburgh, 5: 174–221. [2] Bohlmann F. et al. (1984), Phytochemistry 23: 1979–88.