Phenanthrenes from aerial part of Juncus setchuensis with anxiolyticactivity

Abstract

Ten phenanthrenes, two organic acids, one organic acid ester and one flavonoid were isolated from the aerial part of Juncus setchuensis by various chromatographic techniques usingsilica gel, polyamide, Sephadex LH-20 as solid phases, and preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified by MS and NMR spectroscopic data as effusol(1), juncusol(2), juncuenin D(3), dehydroeffusol(4), dehydrojuncusol(5), juncuenin B(6),dehydrojuncuenin B(7), 2-methoxyl-7-hydroxyl-1-methyl-5-vinyl phenanthrene(8), 2-hydroxyl-7-carboxy-1-methyl-5-vinyl-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene(9), 2-hydroxyl-7-carboxyl-1-methyl-5-vinylphenanthrene(10), luteolin(11), vanillic acid(12), daphnetin(13), p-coumaric acid(14), respectively. Compound 13 was isolated from the genus Juncus for the first time and compounds 5, 8-12 were isolated from J. setchuensis for the first time. The elevated plus-maze(EPM) was used to evaluate the anxiolytic activity of compounds 6 and 7. Compound 6 at 5 mg•kg⁻¹ and 10 mg•kg⁻¹ showed anxiolytic activity as well as compound 7 at 10 mg•kg⁻¹ and 20 mg•kg⁻¹.