Isolation and identification of dihydroartemisinic acid from Artemisia annua and its possible role in the biosynthesis of artemisinin.

摘要

Dihydroartemisinic acid was isolated as a natural product from A. annua in a 66% yield. Its structure was confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. It could be chemically converted to artemisinin under conditions that may also be present in the living plant. It was suggested that the conversion of dihydroartemisinic acid into artemisinin in the living plant might be a nonenzymatic conversion.