Phytochemical investigation on the roots of Bupleurum chinense DC. and their chemotaxonomic significance

Twenty-two compounds were isolated from Bupleurum chinense DC. They included five phenylpropanoids (1–5), one phenylpropanol glucoside (6), six coumarins (7–12, compound 12 is a coumarin glycoside), six flavonoids (13–18), one triterpene saponin (19), one fatty acid ester (20), one fatty acid (21), and one sterol (22). Their structures were determined using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and compared with previously published structures. The results showed that compounds 2, 4, 16, and 18, were first isolated from Umbelliferae; compounds 1, 7, 9, 10, and 12 were first isolated from the genus Bupleurum; and compounds 11, 15, and 17 were first isolated from B. chinense DC. Their chemotaxonomic significance has also been discussed.