The Components of Cacalia tangutica

Abstract

The genus Cacalia belongs to the tribe Senecioneae with more than 60 species occurring in China,1 of which ca 26 have long been used as Chinese traditional folk herbs.2 Several species of genus Cacalia have been investigated due to their antioxidant, antiradical and anti-histamine activities.3 The presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and sesquiterpenes in many species of the tribe Senecioneae is well documented. 4-9 Recently, we have investigated the chemical constituents of Cacalia tangutica (Senecioneae). From a methanol extract of the root, one new eremophilane sesquiterpene, 12-hydroxy-3 a-angeloyloxy-eremophila-6,9dien-8-one (1) combined with eight known compounds: one sesquiterpene, petasine (2), two triterpenes, a-amyrin (3) and ursolic acid (4), one isopentenyl acetophnon derivative, hydroxytremetone (5), three cumarins, daphnetol (7,8-