Dammarane derivatives from the dried fruits of Forsythia suspensa

Anti-inflammatory activity guided fractionation of the n-hexane soluble fraction of a 70% aqueous methanolic extract of the dried fruits of Forsythia suspensa afforded two new triterpenes. The structures of these compounds were elucidated as 3 beta -acetyl-20,25-epoxydammarane-24 alpha -ol (1) and 3 beta -acetyl-20,25-epoxydammarane-24 beta -ol (2) on the basis of spectral data interpretation as well as by comparison with those of structurally similar compounds. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.