Salvinorin A (1), a neoclerodane diterpene from the hallucinogenic mint Salvia divinorum, is the only known non-nitrogenous and specific κ-opioid agonist. Several structural congeners of 1 isolated from Salvia splendens (2 -8) together with a series of semisynthetic derivatives (9 -24), some of which possess a pyrazoline structural moiety (9, 19 -22), have been tested for affinity at human μ, δ, and κ opioid receptors. None of these compounds showed high affinity binding to these receptors. However, 10 showed modest affinity for κ receptors suggesting other naturally neoclerodanes from different Salvia species may possess opioid affinity.

The genus Teucrium is a large and polymorphic genus of the Lamiaceae family distributed in mild climate zones, particularly in the Mediterranean basin and Central Asia. Studies of nonvolatile constituents of Teucrium species showed that they are a rich source of neo-clerodane diterpenoids, considered as chemotaxonomic markers of the genus. In addition to the nonvolatile metabolites, there has been a large interest in the essential oils of this genus. In this review, a complete survey of the chemical composition and biological properties of the essential oils isolated from Teucrium taxa is provided. In traditional medicine, since ancient times, species of this genus have been widely implemented for their biological properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, insecticidal, anti-malaria, etc. Therefore, a complete review of all of the traditional uses of Teucrium taxa are also reported.

Two new compounds, 2,5-dihydroxyisocostic acid and 2,3-dihydroxycostic acid together with three known sesquiterpene compounds, Isocostic acid, Carabrone and Tomentosin, have been isolated from the acetone extract of Inula viscosa (L.) Aiton. The structures of all new compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods, in particular 1D and 2D (1)H- and (13)C-NMR. The (13)C-NMR spectra of Isocostic acid and of Tomentosin are reported here for the first time.

Four new clerodane diterpenoids, salvisplendins A-D (1-4), have been isolated from an acetone extract of the flowers of Salvia splendens, together with an artifact (5), arising from salvisplendin D (4) by addition of diazomethane, and the already known clerodane olearin (6). The structures of the new compounds (1-5) were established mainly by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic studies and, in the case of salvisplendin A (1), by chemical correlation with splenolide B (7). Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments for olearin (6), not published hitherto, are also reported.

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A reinvestigation of the diterpene metabolites of Teucrium massiliense L. allowed the isolation of four new neoclerodane derivatives, teumassilenins A-D, together with all the diterpenoids previously reported as constituents of this plant. The structures of the new compounds (1-4) were established by chemical and spectroscopic means. A plausible biogenetic relationship between several of these substances is briefly discussed, and some unpublished physical and spectroscopic data of the previously known diterpenoid teumassin (5) are now reported.

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