ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the chemical constituents from the active fractions against HIV in vitro, a crude ethanolic extract of Illicium simonsii.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The compounds were isolated with column chromatography methods. MS and NMR spectroscopic methods were used to determine the structures of the compounds.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Seven compounds were isolated from the active fractions against HIV in vitro of the 90% ethanol extract and their structures were elucidated as (+)-catechin (1), (-)-epicatechin (2), (+)-catechin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), kaempferol 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (5), erigeside C (6) and daucosterol (7).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Seven compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time, but none of them exhibited active against HIV in vitro. Compounds 3 and 6 were isolated from this genus for the first time.</p>