Abstract

Constituents of Schisandra propinqua (Wall.) Bail var. sinensis Oliv were investigated and 8 compounds were isolated from the stems and their structures were elucidated as (+)-catechin (1), (-)-gallocatechin (2), p-(2′-hydroxyethyl)-phenol-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), daucosterol (4), manwuweizic acid (5), cerotic acid 1-monoglyceride (6), octocosoic acid (7) and β-sitosterol (8) respectively. Based on MS and NMR techniques, (+)-Catechin, (-)-gallocatechin, p-(2′-hydroxyethyl)-phenol-b-D-glucopyranoside, manwuweizic acid, cerotic acid 1-monoglyceride and octocosoic acid were isolated from the plant for the first time. (+)-Catechin and (-)-gallocatechin mediated DNA cleavage with good efficiency at 1mg/ml. (-)-Gallocatechin show DNA strand-scission activity for the first time.

Key words: Chemical composition, Schisandra propinqua var. sinensis, DNA cleaving activity, (-)-gallocatechin, (+)-catechin.