Constituents of the Chinese crude drug "sāng-bái-pí" (Morus root bark)

From the benzene extract of the Chinese crude drug "Sāng-Bái-Pí" (Japanese name Sōhakuhi), the root bark of Morus sp. (Moraceae), a novel isoprene substituted flavanone, named sanggenon A, was isolated whose structure was shown to be I on the basis of spectral data. A known isoprene substituted flavone derivative, morusin (II), was also obtained from the extract.

Constituents of the cultivated mulberry tree

From the ethyl acetate extract of root bark of the Japanese cultivated mulberry tree (a variety of Morus alba L.), a novel chalcone derivative with a fused dihydrochalcone partial moiety was isolated and named kuwanon I. The structure was shown to be I on the basis of chemical and spectral data. Kuwanon I (I) is the first example which is regarded biogenetically as a Diels-Alder adduct of a prenylchalcone derivative and a dehydroprenylchalcone derivative. NMR variable temperature studies of I suggested that kuwanon I (I) exists as an equilibrium mixture of conformational isomers in solution.

Constituents of the cultivated mulberry tree

In addition to mulberrofuran C, a new 2-arylbenzofuran derivative, six flavonoid derivatives, cyclomorusin, morusin, kuwanon C, E, G and H, as well as a known 2-arylbenzofuran derivative, chalcomoracin, were isolated from extracts of root bark of the cultivated mulberry tree (a variety of Morus bombycis K OIDZUMI). The structure of mulberrofuran C was shown to be VIII on the basis of spectral data. It is regarded biogenetically as a Diels-Alder adduct of a chalcone derivative and a dehydroprenyl 2-arylbenzofuran derivative. Intravenous injection of mulberrofuran C produced significant hypotension in rabbit.

Constituents of the cultivated mulberry tree

From extracts of root bark of the cultivated mulberry tree (a variety of Morus alba L.) three new isoprene-substituted flavanones, Kuwanon D, E and F were isolated. Their structures were shown to be I, II and III, respectively.