Stimulatory constituents of Eclipta prostrata on mouse osteoblast differentiation.

One flavonoid, diosmetin (1), and two isoflavonoids, 3'-hydroxybiochanin A (2) and 3'-O-methylorobol (3), were isolated from the methanol extract of Eclipta prostrata L. by a bioactivity-guided fractionation technique using primary cultures of mouse osteoblasts as an in vitro assay system. All three compounds significantly increased osteoblast differentiation as assessed by the alkaline phosphatase activity..