Chemical Constituents of Ligularia Species (Asteraceae) and Their Diversity in East Asia

More than 100 Ligularia species and those of several related genera (Cremanthodium, Cacalia, Senecio, and others) in the plant family Senecioneae grow in East Asia. For many years, researchers have studied the chemical constituents of these plants, and terpenoids, flavonoids, sterols, alkaloids, and aromatic compounds have been isolated. Among these, in particular, numerous sesquiterpenoids were reported. In this contribution, relevant chemical studies are described mainly from literature reports appearing since 2000, inclusive of investigations performed by the present authors, on the diversity in secondary metabolites of Ligularia growing in the Hengduan Mountains area of China, focusing on eremophilane sesquiterpenoids and other metabolites. Terpenoids and aromatic compounds (totaling 1049), both new and known, are listed. Genetic studies and synthesis investigations are also reviewed briefly.

Diversity of Furanoeremophilane Composition in Ligularia tongolensis

The composition of root chemicals was studied for 7 samples of Ligularia tongolensis collected in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces of China. The structures of 2 new 3β-angeloyloxy-6β-acyloxyfuranoeremophilan-15-oic acids were determined. It was found that the plant harbors chemical diversity in the acyloxy groups in 3,6-bis(acyloxy)eremophilan-15-oic acids. The presence of a 3-methylpentanoate moiety at C-3 appears geographically differentiated to a degree. Consistent with this low diversity, results of DNA analysis indicated little genetic differentiation, although introgression was inferred for one of the samples.

Substituent Effect in Color of Ehrlich's Test of Tetrahydrobenzofuran

Reaction of 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzofuran derivatives, model compounds of furanoeremophilanes, with p-dimethylamino-benzaldehyde (Ehrlich's reagent) under acidic conditions was studied both on TLC and in a flask. 4-Hydroxy, 4-methoxy, and 4-acetoxy derivatives showed a pink/purple color, while 7-hydroxy, 7-methoxy, and 7-acetoxy derivatives showed a dark green color. The reaction of a 4-oxo derivative was slow showing an orange color on TLC. 7-Oxo derivatives and benzofuran were negative to Ehrlich's test. It was shown that an intermediate cation corresponding to the pink color was generated from both 4- and 7-substituted derivatives except for the oxo-derivatives.

Eremophilanes from Ligularia hookeri Collected in China and Structural Revision of 3β-Acyloxyfuranoeremophilan-15,6-olide

Chemical constituents of Ligularia hookeri (Asteraceae) collected in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces in China were examined for the first time. Seven furanoeremophilanes, five of which were new, as well as known bisabolane- and eudesmane-type sesquiterpenoids, were isolated. Spectroscopic evidence indicates that the previously reported 3β-(2'-methylpropenoyloxy)furanoeremophilan-15,6β-olide should be revised to 3β-(2'-methylpropenoyloxy)furanoeremophilan-15,6α-olide.

Chemical Constituents in Hybrids of Ligularia tongolensis and L. cymbulifera: Chemical Introgression in L. tongolensis

Two samples with morphologies intermediate between Ligularia tongolensis and L. cymbulifera were collected in Desha, Sichuan Province, and one, in Pachahai, Yunnan Province, P. R. China. The DNA sequencing confirmed that the samples were hybrids of the two species. Tetradymol (1), the major compound of L. cymbulifera not found in L. tongolensis, was isolated from the hybrid samples collected at both locations, while furanoeremophilan-15-oic acid derivative 4, a compound characteristic to L. tongolensis, was found in the Pachahai hybrid but not in the Desha hybrids. Thus, the chemical consequence of hybridization can be variable. In addition, analysis of L. tongolensis samples at Pachahai indicated that introgression has been a mechanism of generating chemical diversity in the plant. Eleven compounds including three new ones were isolated.

Phytotoxic Terpenoids from Ligularia cymbulifera Roots

Ligularia cymbulifera is one of the predominant species in the Hengduan Mountains, China, and has led to a decrease in the amount of forage grass in this area. However, little is known about the mechanism behind its predominance. In this study, two novel eremophilane sesquiterpenes, ligulacymirin A and B (1 and 2), together with seven other known terpenoids (3-9), were isolated from the roots of L. cymbulifera. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Each compound showed phytotoxic activities against Arabidopsis thaliana, and each was detected and identified in rhizosphere soil by UHPLC-MS. Compound 3 was the most potent phytotoxin, showing remarkable inhibition against both seedling growth (EC₅₀ = 30.33 ± 0.94 μg/mL) and seed germination (EC₅₀ = 155.13 ± 0.52 μg/mL), with an average content in rhizosphere soil of 3.44 μg/g. These results indicate that terpenoids in L. cymbulifera roots might be released as phytotoxins in rhizosphere soil to interfere with neighboring plants.

A novel furanoeremophilane with an unusual oxygen bridge from Senecio nemorensis

Two new furanoeremophilanes, 1α, 6α-epoxy-9-oxo-10β-hydroxyl-furanoeremophilane (1), and 9-oxo-1α, 6β, 10β-trihydroxy-furanoeremophilane (2) were isolated from Senecio nemorensis. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallography. This is the first report of the isolation of the C1-C6 oxygen bridge of furanoeremophilane. Their cytotoxic effects on BEL7402 and NF-KB cell lines were tested.

Phytochemical investigation and cytotoxic evaluation of the components of the medicinal plant Ligularia atroviolacea

A phytochemical investigation of the roots of Ligularia atroviolacea resulted in the isolation of 24 compounds including seven new eremophilanoids named eremophila-3,7(11),8-triene-12,8;14,6alpha-diolide (1), 3beta-(angeloyloxy)eremophil-7(11)-en-12,8beta-olid-14-oic acid (2), 1alpha-chloro-10beta-hydroxy-6beta-(2-methylpropanoyloxy)-9-oxo-7,8-furoeremophilane (3), (10betaH)-8-oxoeremophila-3(4),6(7)-diene-12,14-dioic acid (4), (10alphaH)-8-oxoeremophila-3(4),6(7)-diene-12,14-dioic acid (5), 8beta-[eremophila-3',7'(11')-diene-12',8'alpha;14',6'alpha-diolide]eremophila-3,7(11)-diene-12,8alpha;14,6alpha-diolide (6), and ligulatrovine A (7), eleven known eremophilanoids, 8-18, four steroids, one glucose derivative, and one fatty acid. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 2D-NMR experiments. The structure of 3 was also established by an X-ray diffraction study. The in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of selected compounds was performed on seven cultured tumor cell lines, i.e., KB, BEL-7404, A549, HL-60, HeLa, CNE, and P-388D1. The preliminary taxonomy of this species was also discussed, and the possible biogenesis of a dimer possessing a new noreremophilanoid type skeleton, 7, is presented in a preliminary form.

Chemical and genetic diversity of Ligularia vellerea in Yunnan, China

Intra-specific diversity in Liularia vellerea growing in the northwestern to central Yunnan province of China was studied by chemical and genetic approaches. Samples collected in the Jianchuan, Lijiang, and Zhongdian areas contained 6,15-dioxygenated furanoeremophilanes as their major components (type A); whereas samples from the Luguhu area accumulated 1,6-dioxygenated furanoeremophilanes (type B); a sample from near Kunming, however, contained 6,15-dioxygenated eremophilanolides (type C). 11 beta H- and 11 alpha H-6 beta-angeloyloxy-15-carboxyeremophil-7-en-12,8-olides (eremofarfugins D and E) were also isolated and their structures were determined. A correlation between the composition and the DNA sequence was observed in the ITSs.