Triterpene acids from some Papua New Guinea Terminalia species

Abstract

The trihydroxylated triterpene acids arjunolic acid and asiatic acid were found in ether extracts of the woods of Terminalia brassii and of T. complanata. Asiatic acid has not previously been reported as a constituent of the genus Terminalia. A similar extract of T. impediens yielded the tetrahydroxy acid terminolic acid as the major constituent; this acid was also detected as a minor constituent of T. complanata. Terminolic acid, however, does not occur in glycosidic combination in Centella asiatica, as has been recently reported.