STUDIES ON THE CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE ROOT OF DESMOS COCHINCHINENSIS LOUR.

Desmos cochinehinensis as a folk medicine is used for treatment of malaria in China. Pharmacological studies sfiowed that the petroleum ether extract of the root of the plant exhibited anti-malarial activity. Three flavonoids were isolated from this extract, of which two were identified as lawinal and isounonal. Compound Ⅲ is a new flavanol. On the basis of spectroscopic analyses (UV, IR, MS, ¹HNMR, ~(13)CNMR and X-RD) the structure was established as -4,7-dihydroxyl-5-methoxyl-6-methyl-8-formyl-flavan. Ⅰ and Ⅱ were found from this plant for the first time.