Hepatoprotective diastereomeric lignans from Saururus chinensis herbs.

Two new diastereomeric sauchinones (2, 3), along with the known sauchinone (1), a phenylpropanoid (sarisan), and two known lignans (galbacin and saucernetin), were isolated from the n-hexane fraction of Saururus chinensis using reversed-phase HPLC. The stereostructures of the lignans, sauchinone A (2) and 1'-epi-sauchinone (3), were established by analysis of spectroscopic data. Incubation of cultured rat hepatocytes intentionally injured by CCl(4) with each of the compounds 1, 2, and 3 significantly reduced the levels of glutamic pyruvic transaminase released by the damaged hepatocytes.