Artichoke leaf is an herbal medicine known for a long time. A systematic antioxidant activity-directed fractionation procedure was used to purify antioxidative components from the aqueous methanol extractions of artichoke heads and leaves in this study. Seven active polyphenolic compounds were purified from artichoke, and structural elucidation of each was achieved using MS and NMR. Two of these compounds, apigenin-7-rutinoside and narirutin, were found to be unique to artichoke heads, this represents the first report of these compounds in the edible portion of this plant. The contents of these antioxidants and total phenols in dried artichoke samples from leaves and immature and mature heads of three varieties, Imperial Star, Green Globe, and Violet, were then analyzed and compared by colorimetric and validated HPLC methods. Significant differences by variety and plant organ were observed.

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Two new imidazole alkaloids (lepidiline A and lepidiline B) have been isolated from a root extract of Lepidium meyenii with the common name Maca and identified as 1,3-dibenzyl-4,5-dimethylimidazolium chloride (1) and 1,3-dibenzyl-2,4,5-trimethylimidazolium chloride (2), respectively. The structures of these two new compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction performed on compound 1.

Black cohosh has become one of the most important herbal products in the U.S. dietary supplements market. It is manufactured from roots and rhizomes of Cimicifuga racemosa (Ranunculaceae). Botanical identification of the raw starting material is a key step in the quality control of black cohosh preparations. The present report summarizes a fingerprinting approach based on HPLC-PDA/MS/ ELSD that has been developed and validated using a total of ten Cimicifuga species. These include three North American species, C. racemosa, C. americana, C. rubifolia, and seven Asian species, C. acerina, C. biternat, C. dahurica, C. heracleifolia, C. japonica, C. foetida, and C. simplex. The chemotaxonomic distinctiveness of the HPLC fingerprints allows identification of all ten Cimicifuga species. The triterpene glycosides cimigenol-3-O-arabinoside (3), cimifugin (12), and cimifugin-3-O-glucoside (18) were determined to be suitable species-specific markers for the distinction of C. racemosa from the other Cimicifuga species. In addition to identification, the fingerprint method provided insight into chemical interconversion processes occurring between the diverse triterpene glycosides contained in black cohosh. The reported method has proven its usefulness in the botanical standardization and quality control of black cohosh products.

A method to directly identify triterpene glycosides using reversed-phase liquid chromatography with positive atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (LC/(+)APCIMS) was developed. Based on the analysis of the molecular weight, fragment ions, selected ion chromatograms, a number of triterpene glycosides, including actein, 27-deoxyactein, cimicfugoside M, and cimicifugoside, from Cimicifuga racemosa were studied. A chromone, cimifugin, from C. foetida was also identified. Cimicifugoside M and cimifugin can specifically serve as indicators for species identification. The method can, therefore, be used to distinguish black cohosh products from among different plant species for quality control purposes.

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Seven triterpene saponins were isolated from n-butanol fractions of blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) roots and rhizomes. Their structures were established by spectral ((1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, 2D-NMR, and APCI-MS) techniques and chemical reactions as hederagenin 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (1); caulophyllogenin 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (2); hederagenin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (3); 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-hederagenin 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4); 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl- caulophyllogenin 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5); 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl- echinocystic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6); 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-hederagenin 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7). All seven compounds were identified in this species for the first time.

Three new sesquiterpenes (1-3), together with four known sesquiterpene lactones, were isolated from the flowers of Inula britannica var. chinensis. Structures were established on the basis of high-field 1D and 2D NMR methods supported by HRMS. All sesquiterpene lactones were tested for cytotoxicity as well as apoptotic ratio in human COLO 205, HT 29, HL-60, and AGS cancer cells. Compounds 3 and 4, two alpha-methylene gamma-lactone-bearing sesquiterpenes, were modestly active in these assays.