Chemical constituents and bioactivities of Zanthoxylum avicennae / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract from Zanthoxylum avicennae and their bioactivities. Methods: The compounds were isolated by Diaion HP-20, Toyopearl HW-40, MCI-Gel CHP-20, Sephadex LH-20, RP18, and silica gel column chromatographic methods. Their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical and spectroscopic analyses; The antibacterial activity and toxicity of compounds 1-3 were investigated by the lethal-to-prawn larva bioactivity experiment and the slanting test-tube experiment. Results: Nine constituents were isolated from the EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions of Z. avicennae. Their structures were identified as dihydrokaempferide (1), scoparone (2), 1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid (3), 6-oxo-2(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo-[3.3.0]-octane (4), suberic acid (5), 4,4-dinethyl-1,7-heptanedioic acid (6), methyl syringate (7), β-sitosterol (8), and preskimmianine (9). Compound 2 displayed more stronger antifungal activity against Exserohilum turcicum Pass and Fusarium graminearum Schwabe, with the MIC value of 15.63 μg/mL. Compounds 1-3 had shown more stronger toxicity towards brine shrimp, with LC50 values of 9.8, 2.6, and 4.9 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: All the compounds are isolated from Z. avicennae for the first time except preskimmianine. Compound 2 displays more stronger antifungal activity, while compounds 1-3 have shown more stronger cytotoxicity towards brine shrimp.