Phenolic Compounds from Japanese Anise (Illicium anisatum L.) Leaves

Abstract

Japanese anise (Illicium anisatum L.) leaves were collected and ground after drying, then immersed with 50 % aqueous acetone for 3 days. After filtration, the extracts were fractionated with n-hexane, chloroform (CHCl3), ethylacetate (EtOAc) and H2O, and then freeze dried after concentration. A portion of EtOAc (3.12 g) and H2O (6.08 g) soluble fractions were chromatographed on a Sephadex LH-20 column with various aqueous MeOH solution to isolate the compounds. Compound 1 ((+)-catechin) was isolated from EtOAc soluble fraction. Compounds 2 (quercetin), 3 (quercitrin) and 4 (2″-O-rhamnosylvitexin) were isolated from H2O soluble fraction. For the first time, quercitrin (3) and 2″-O-rhamnosylvitexin (4) of the isolated compounds were obtained from the extracts of japanese anise leaves.