Isolation and Structure Determination of New Secondary Metabolites from the Endangered Plant Rhododendron brachycarpum G.Don

Abstract

In spite of the critical role of the natural products in drug discovery, little attention has been placed on endangered and rare plant species. Utilization of the secondary metabolites acquired from endangered species may help to rationalize the conservation efforts of such plants considering that they may serve as drug leads to benefit human health and create socioeconomic value. Our phyto-chemical investigation on the leaves of Rhododendron brachycarpum G.Don (Ericaceae), which is a Korean endangered plant, resulted in the isolation of new triterpenoid, flavonoid, and megastigmane glycosides. The isolation and structure determination of new compounds together with their bioactivities will be presented.