Studies on the Chemical Constituents of Psychortia rubra #Lour.# Poir.

• Main Authors: Rung-Chi Shiu, 許榮麒
• Other Authors: Yuan-Shiun Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/76344661103718640600

碩士 === 中國醫藥大學 === 中國藥學研究所 === 92 === 　　Psychortia rubra #Lour.# Poir. is a native plant of Taiwan belonging to the Rubiaceae family. It is a folk medicine being used for sprain, bruises, rheumatism, inflammation, hemorrhoids, traumatic injury, swelling, colds and fever. That a new naphthoquinone structure (psychorubrin) isolated from ethanolic extract of plant exhibited significantly cytotoxcity against KB cell line. 　　In the assay for DPPH scavenging effect, except the water layer, all fractions showed good free radical scavenging effect. Our preliminary tests also showed that the extract of Psychortia rubra (Lour.) Poir. exhibited cytotoxic activity against SCM-1 and 59T cell lines. 　　From the methanolic extract of this plant, seven chemical constituents were isolated and identified as phytosterol, hexacosaconoic acid, -sitosterol-3-O-glucoside, lupeol, oleanolic acid, triacontanoic acid and vanillic acid. Howere, the structure of EA-2 is still under investigation and is very likely to be a naphthoquinone. The structures of all the components were determined by spectroscopic method. 　　Since this plant is rather common in Taiwan, further study and investigation of its active constituents may prove its potential biological activities and medicinal values.