Antioxidant diterpenoids from the roots of Salvia barrelieri.

BACKGROUND

The phytochemical and biological studies carried out on Salvia species showed that their extracts and constituents have various biological activities.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was the isolation of diterpenoids from the roots of Salvia barrelieri Ettling and the determination of the antioxidant activity.

METHODS

Chromatographic methods were used for fractionation and isolation, respectively. Structure elucidation was established by spectroscopic methods. Five antioxidant assays were performed.

RESULTS

Three new abietane diterpenoids barreliol, royleanone 12-methyl ether and 7-epi-salviviridinol, and six known diterpenoids, with a known dammarane triterpenoid, pyxinol were isolated. The absolute stereochemistry of pyxinol was confirmed by X-ray analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Taxodione exhibited the highest antioxidant activity among the tested compounds.