Phytochemical study of Bituminaria basaltica aerial parts, an Italian endemism.

The first phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Bituminaria basaltica, an endemic species from the Aeolian Islands, led to the isolation and identification of eight compounds including plicatin B (3), two furanocoumarins: angelicin (1), psoralen (2), three pterocarpans: erybraedin C (4), 3,9-dihydroxy-4-isoprenyl-pterocarpan (5), bitucarpin A (8) and two flavonoid glycosides: isoorientin (6), daidzin (7). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscospic techniques and compared with data reported in the literature. Sesquiterpenes characterised the essential oil composition of the title plant where ß-caryophyllene and germacrene D were the main constituents.