Isolation and Identification of Betulin, Lupeol, and β-Amyrin from the Bird-lime of Trochodendron aralioides Siebold et Zuccarini

Abstract

Three triterpenoid alcohols: betulin, lupeol, and β-amyrin have now been isolated from the unsaponifiable fraction of the ethereal extract of the bark of Trochodendron aralioides Sie-bold et Zuccarini (Trochodendraceae). Of these, betulin has been further characterized as allobetulin. “Trochosterin”¹⁾, “an alcohol of m. p. 210°”²⁾, and “an alcohol (acetate: m. p. 170°)”³⁾, described by earlier groups of workers, have now been confirmed to be nothing other than a mixture composed of lupeol and β-amyrin respectively.