1.1 Hederagonic Acid
3
septemlobus (castor aralia),
[11] a plant species native to eastern Asia, China,
Japan, Korea and eastern coastal Russia.
[17] Further species reported to
contain hederagonic acid are Pulsatilla chinensis,
[18] Pulsatilla cernua,
[19]
and Tripterygium wilfordii (thunder god vine).
[20] Miyakoshi et al. isolated
the saponin nipponoside A (4) from Acanthopanax nipponicus.
[12] Selected
plant species are depicted in Figure 1.3.
(a) Hydrocotyle ranunculoides. [21a]
(b) Celastrus orbiculatus. [21b]
Figure 1.3: Selected plants containing hederagonic acid (1).
1.1.2 Biological Activity
It has been reported, that hederagonic acid (1) and other triterpenoids
arjunolic acid, bayogenin and 4-epi -hederagonic acid were moderate glycogen
phosphorylase inhibitors.
[1,22] Hederagonic acid (1) was the most potent
inhibitor with an IC 50 of 54 μmol l
−1 . Notably, 4-epi -hederagonic acid was
the second most active inhibitor with an IC 50 of 62 μmol l
−1 . The IC 50
3
septemlobus (castor aralia),
[11] a plant species native to eastern Asia, China,
Japan, Korea and eastern coastal Russia.
[17] Further species reported to
contain hederagonic acid are Pulsatilla chinensis,
[18] Pulsatilla cernua,
[19]
and Tripterygium wilfordii (thunder god vine).
[20] Miyakoshi et al. isolated
the saponin nipponoside A (4) from Acanthopanax nipponicus.
[12] Selected
plant species are depicted in Figure 1.3.
(a) Hydrocotyle ranunculoides. [21a]
(b) Celastrus orbiculatus. [21b]
Figure 1.3: Selected plants containing hederagonic acid (1).
1.1.2 Biological Activity
It has been reported, that hederagonic acid (1) and other triterpenoids
arjunolic acid, bayogenin and 4-epi -hederagonic acid were moderate glycogen
phosphorylase inhibitors.
[1,22] Hederagonic acid (1) was the most potent
inhibitor with an IC 50 of 54 μmol l
−1 . Notably, 4-epi -hederagonic acid was
the second most active inhibitor with an IC 50 of 62 μmol l
−1 . The IC 50