Anthraquinones from Natural and Transformed Roots of Plocama pendula

Five new and 15 known anthraquinones have been isolated from Plocama pendula root cultures transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The new anthraquinones were named balonone (1), balonone methyl ether (2), and plocamanones A, B. and C (3-5, resp.). Moreover, lucidin dimethyl ether (18) was obtained for the first time as a natural compound. On the other hand, a study of P. pendula natural roots afforded another two new anthraquinones, i.e., plocamanone D (6) and chionone (8). The anthraquinone isozyganein dimethyl ether (35) has been isolated for the first time from nature. Another 19 known anthraquinones were also obtained from the natural roots.