ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Catharanthus roseus. METHODS: Various column chromatograghic methods on silica gel, Rp-18, and Sephadex LH-20 were applied for the isolation and purification of the 95% ethanol extract. The structures were elucidated by their physicochemical properties and spectral data. RESULTS: Twenty-two compounds were obtained and identified as ursolic acid (1), daucesterol (2), tetrahydroalstonine (3), 7α-hydroxy-β-sitosterol (4), vindoline (5), β-sitosterol (6), aurantiamide acetate (7), lochnericine (8), oleanolic acid (9), ajmalicine (10), (22E, 24R)-ergosta-7, 22-dien-3β, 5α, 6β-triol (11), betulinic acid (12), stigmasterol (13), quercetin (14), keampferol (15), vindorosine (16), catharanthine (17), diaaurantiamide acetate (18), reserpine (19), panarine (20), serpentine (21), and 16R-E-isositsirikine (22). CONCLUSION: Compounds 4, 7, 11, 13, 18, and 20 are isolated from C. roseus for the first time.