Unusual sesquiterpene glucosides from Amaranthus retroflexus

Implementing the phytochemical study of the weed Amaranthus retroflexus, four new sesquiterpene glucosides were isolated from the methanolic extract of the plant. The structures of these metabolites are determined on the basis of the mass spectrometry, and I D and 2D NMR spectroscopies (DQ-COSY, TOCSY, HSQC, HSQC-TOCSY, HMBC, and NOESY). Two compounds are characterized by a new aglycone and differed from the site of glucosylation. The other two compounds are dimeric diastereoisomers. All the glucoside sesquiterpenes were tested on the wild species Taraxacum officinale to evaluate the role of this weed in the habitat and on the seed of A. retroflexus to verify the potential autotoxic effect of the plant. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.