Phthalide-derived oxaspiroangelioic acids A–C with an unprecedented carbon skeleton from an aqueous extract of the Angelica sinensis root head

Abstract Three phthalide-derived analogues, oxaspiroangelioic acids A–C (1–3), were isolated as minor components of an aqueous extract of the Angelica sinensis root heads (guitou). Oxaspiroangelioic acids A and B were racemates separated into enantiomers by chiral HPLC. Their structures including absolute configurations were determined by spectroscopic data analysis, single crystal X-ray diffraction, exciton chirality method and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. These compounds share an undescribed carbon skeleton, for which biosynthetic pathways are proposed. Compound 1 and its enantiomers showed almost identical activity inhibiting Tandem of P domains in a weak inwardly rectifying K+ channel 1 (TREK-1).