Triterpenoids from the Fruits of Forsythia suspensa

AimTo investigate the chemical constituents from the fruits of Forsythia suspense (Thunb.) Vahl..MethodsCompounds were separated by column chromatography with silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and ODS. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of physiochemical and spectral analyses.ResultsEleven compounds were obtained from the ethyl acetate fraction, and their structures were elucidated as 3-acety-isofouquierol(1), dammar-24-ene-3β-acetate-20S-ol (2), 3β-acetoxyl-20S, 24R-dammarane-25-ene-24-hydroperoxy-20-ol (3), β-amyrin acetate (4), betulinic acid (5), morolic acid (6), phillyrin (7), pinoersinol (8), phillygenin (9), 3β-acetyloleanolic acid (10), and 3β-hydroxy-labda-8 (17), 13E-dien-15-oic acid (11). We further tested the cytotoxity of the three dammar triterpenoids. They all showed cytotoxity against gastric cancer cells.ConclusionCompounds 1, 3, 6, 11 were isolated from the Forsythia genus for the first time. Compound 2 was the most potent proliferation inhibition compound.