An investigation of the natural products of some Eremophila species.

摘要

For centuries, the Australian aboriginals have relied on native plants as a source of medicinal agents. Although they employed a wide range of species for this purpose, some of the most commonly used plants were Eremophila species. For example, traditional, current, and potential uses of about 100 Eremophila species are documented. It was reported that infusions of the leaves were used both internally and externally as an analgesic, decongestant, and expectorant. This was believed to be useful in the treatment of colds, influenza, fevers, and headaches as well as for sterilizing septic wounds and promoting general well being.;The purpose of this research was to identify natural products of several samples of Eremophila species. Different Eremophila species including E. latrobei, E. maculata, and E. laanii were collected from Australia and California. Plant extracts were subjected to a combination of liquid-liquid extractions, adsorption silica-gel column chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Chemical structure was elucidated through carbon and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), mass spectrometry, and other spectroscopic methods. A novel compound was isolated from E. laanii and its structure determined.