Chemical constituents from the aerial parts of Achillea alpina and their chemotaxonomic significance

Abstract

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Achillea alpina led to the isolation of sixteen compounds, including six sesquiterpenes (1-6), two polyacetylenic alcohols (7-8), three lignans (9-11), and five fatty acids (12-16). Their structures were identified by spectroscopic analysis of UV, IR, MS and NMR, and in comparison with the those reported data in the references. Among them, five compounds (10-14) were first obtained from the family Compositae, six compounds (1-3, 7, 15 and 16) were first reported from the genus Achillea, and three compounds (4, 5 and 8) were first obtained from this plant. The chemotaxonomic significance of constituents was also discussed.