Chemical Constituents of the Bulbs of Scilla peruviana and Their Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Activity.

Scilla species are used as medicinal plants and contain lanosterol-type triterpene glycosides. The phytochemical investigation of the bulbs of Scilla peruviana led to the isolation of 17 compounds, including three new rearranged pentacyclic-lanosterol glycosides (1-3) and two new homoisoflavanone glycosides (12 and 13). The structures of the undescribed compounds were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including two-dimensional (2D) NMR. Among the triterpene glycosides, 2, 3, and 6 showed significant pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity in a concentration-dependent manner in vitro. The oral administration of scillascilloside D-2 (6) reduced serum triglyceride levels in a dose-dependent manner in soybean oil-loaded mice.

Benzofuran and coumarin derivatives from the root of Angelica dahurica and their PPAR-γ ligand-binding activity.

A phytochemical investigation of the root of Angelica dahurica led to the isolation of benzofuran and coumarin derivatives. This is the first report of the isolation and identification of three furanocoumarin sulfates from A. dahurica root. The structures of a total of twelve undescribed compounds were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR data, hydrolysis, and solvolysis, followed by either physicochemical and spectroscopic data or X-ray crystallographic analysis. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their PPAR-γ ligand-binding activity, and six compounds showed significant PPAR-γ ligand-binding activity. In particular, the undescribed benzofuran derivative, 3-[6,7-furano-9-hydroxy-4-(2″,3″-dihydroxy-3″-methylbutyloxy)]-phenyl propionic acid, exhibited the most potent PPAR-γ ligand-binding activity and accumulated intracellular lipid in 3T3-L1 cells.