Activity-guided isolation of Heracleum moellendorffii roots led to four coumarin derivatives as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. The structures of these isolates were characterized by spectroscopic method to be angelicin (1), isobergapten (2), pimpinellin (3), and (3S, 4R)-3, 4-epoxypimpinellin (4). All the isolated compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 showed moderate inhibition activities against acetylcholinesterase with the IC₅₀ values of 10.2, 18.1, 21.5 and 22.9 µM, respectively. (3S, 4R)-3, 4-Epoxypimpinellin (4) was newly isolated from the plant source.
Acetylcholinesterase ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; Coumarins ; Heracleum* ; Methods ; Plants

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents in roots of Heracleum rapula.

METHODThe constituents were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel and ODS, and identified by spectroscopic methods.

RESULTNine compounds, osthol ( I ), bergapten (II), xanthotoxin (III), isopimpinellin (IV), imperatorin (V), isoimperatorin (VI), cnidilin (VII), phellopterin (VIII), rivulobirin A (IX) were isolated and identified.

CONCLUSIONCompounds VI, VII, VIII, IX were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Coumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Furocoumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Heracleum ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fisch is used in Iranian traditional medicines, for the treatment of various diseases including neurological, gastrointestinal, respiratory, rheumatological and urinary tract diseases. In phytochemical analysis of H. persicum, several classes of natural chemicals including volatile (aliphatic esters, carbonyls, phenyl propenes and terpenes) and nonvolatile (flavonoids, furanocoumarins, tannins and alkaloids) constituents as well as different minerals have been identified. Scientific studies on H. persicum proved that it has a wide range of biological and pharmacological activities. This article has provided comprehensive information on Iranian traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities of H. persicum.
Animals ; Heracleum ; chemistry ; Humans ; Iran ; Medicine, Traditional ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents in roots of Heracleum rapula.

METHODThe constituents were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel and ODS, and identified by spectroscopic methods.

RESULTEight compounds, xanthotoxol (I), 8-geranyloxypsoralen (II), (+)-marmesin (III), beta-sitosterol (IV), stigmasterol (V), oleanolic acid (VI), ferulic (VII), scopoletin (VIII) were isolated and identified.

CONCLUSIONCompounds IV, V, VI, VII, VIII were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Heracleum ; chemistry ; Oleanolic Acid ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Scopoletin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Sitosterols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Stigmasterol ; chemistry ; isolation & purification