Terpenes from Ilex Spinigera (Loes.) Loes., an Endemic Plant of Iran

Ilex spinigera (Loes.) Loes widely distributed in north of Iran, has been traditionally used in malaria treatment. Up to now, this plant has not been subjected to detailed chemical constitution analysis. This paper reports the first phytochemical analysis of leaves of I. spinigera. collected in the Hyrcanian deciduous forests of N Iran. Chromatographic investigation of the methanol extract of the air dried leaves of I. spinigera afforded several triterpenes including lupeol, β-amyrin, lanosterol, taraxasterol, moretenol together with podosporin A and sandaracopimaradiene. Chemical structure of compounds were established using spectroscopic data (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and MS), and by comparing with the literature. All of these compounds were isolated for the first time from this plant and have known pharmacological activities.