Epimedins A, B and C, Flavonoid Glycosides of Epimedium koreanum Herbs

Abstract

Three new flavonoid glycosides, ep~medins A, 8 and C, have been zsolated from Epimedium koreanvm herbs, the structures of w h ~h have been elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic data as shown in f o m ~l a s I, I1 and 111, respectively Epimedium koreanum Nakai as well as certain other related specles belonging to the genus Epimedium (serber~daceael are mportant original plants of the crude drug "inyokaku" which has been employed as a tonic, antirheumatic and aphrodisiac in Oriental medicine.The previous chemical works on this genus have been focused m f l a ~o n o i d s .~' ~ During the course of our investightmn on medicma1 plants having anticomplementary activity, the methanol extract of Epimedium koreanvm herbs was found to exhibit a promising actLon.Accord~ngly, fractionation of t h ~a methanol extract was conducted to afford three new flavono~d glycosides, epimedins A. 8 and C. Eplmedin A 111, an amorphous yellow solid, [a1 -99.e0 (2 0.39, MeOHl, showed IR absorption bands