A new sesquiterpene from the leaves of Cornus officinalis and their potential neuroprotective activities

Five sesquiterpenoids were isolated from a 50% acetone extract of Cornus officinalis leaves, a traditional non-medicinal part of Cornus officinalis, using modern column chromatographic techniques such as macroporous adsorbent resins colum, silica gel colum, chromatography gel colum and semi-preparative liquid chromatography techniques. Their structures were identified by modern wave spectroscopy techniques and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and assigned as cornurtone A (1), cornucadinoside B (2), lacinilene C (3), 3, 12-dihydroxycadalene (4), cornucadinoside C (5). Compound 1 was new compound and compounds 2-5 were first isolated from leaves of Cornus officinalis. Compounds 2 and 3 had potential neuroprotective activities.