Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring compounds exerting estrogenic activity, and include isoflavonoids, flavonoids and lignans. In the present study, we evaluated the stimulating activity of six lignans, meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, machilin A, guaiacin, isoguaiacin and
Seven new cucurbitane triterpene glucosides (1-5, 8, and 9) and five known analogues (6, 7, 10, cucurbitacin I 2-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and khekadaengoside K) have been isolated from an ethanol extract of roots of Machilus yaoshansis. Compounds 1 and 2 have an unusual 16,23:22,25-diepoxy unit, 4 is