Isolation of Agarofuran-type Sesquiterpenes from Alpinia japonica (THUNB.) MIQ.

Abstract

A new sesquiterpene, 3α, 4α-oxidoagarofuran (2) was isolated besides 4-hydroxydihydroagarofuran (1), α-agarofuran (3) and β-eudesmol (4) from the rhizomes of Alpinia japonica. Biogenetically, it is interesting that β-eduesmol is isolated from same plant together with agarofurans, which possess 10-epimeric eudesmane carbon skeleton.