Primula obconica was introduced to Europe from Hubei, China in 1880, and has been cultivated worldwide as one of popular ornamental plants. The volatile oil of wild P. obconica collected from its original place, Yichang, Hubei was first investigated. A total of 43 compounds constituting 93.49% of the oil were identified by using GC and GC-MS. The major compounds were methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-5-methyl benzoate (30.41%), methyl 2,6-dihydroxy-4-methyl benzoate (29.27%), and hypnone (8.92%) etc. In comparison with the published data of some European cultivars, the native P. obconica seems to be allergen-free due to absence of primin and miconidin.

A series of 3-substituted guaiazulene derivatives has been synthesized and their antioxidant properties were evaluated by monitoring their capacity for scavenging the stable free-radical DPPH. 3-Vinylguaiazulene was the most potent, possessing antioxidant activity superior than f -tocopherol. These derivatives were also moderate inhibitors of the proliferation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells.

Three glycosides and a long chain alcohol were isolated from the bulbs of Polianthes tuberosa , these were identified as 3,29-dihydroxystigmast-5-ene-3- O - g - d -galactopyranoside ( 1 ) 1 , ethyl g - d -galactopyranoside ( 2 ), ethyl- f - d -galactopyranoside ( 3 ), and 1-tricosanol ( 4 ). The structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic and chemical methods. All four isolated compounds were screened for their cytotoxicity, antibacterial and antifungal activities, none of the compounds showed any significant activity.

Isolation of the novel cycloartenoid ester methyl gardenolate A (3a) , together with gardenolic acid A (2a) and the unusual triterpenoid -glutinol (D:B- friedo olean-5-en-3 -ol) ( 1a ) from the leaves of Combretum woodii support its differentiation from the closely related C . krausii .

From the 95% ethanol extract of the Hong Kong liverwort, Marchantia paleacea , guided by bioactivity directed isolation, two novel isoriccardinquinones A and B were obtained together with previously known marchantin C, isoriccardin C and phenanthrene derivative, 2-hydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyphenanthrene. The structures of the new compounds were established by high field spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR techniques.

A protocol for shoot induction from callus of Haplophyllum patavinum was established. Two known furoquinoline (skimmianine and haplopine), and three quinolone (edulinine, ribalinine and isoplatydesmine) alkaloids were isolated for the first time from plant material, callus and shoot cultures of this species. The structures of these compounds have been characterised on the basis of spectroscopic evidence.

Bioassay-guided fractionation allowed the isolation of two new cytotoxic ent-kaurene diterpenoids, licamichauxiioic-A and -B acids (1 and 2) from the root extract of Licania michauxii Prance (Chrysobalanaceae). They were characterized as ent-15-oxo-9(11),16-kauradien-19-oic acid (1) and ent-15-oxo-13(14),16-kauradien-19-oic acid (2) by various spectroscopic methods, in particular, 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and chemical evidence.

23-Hydroxyursolic acid ( 2 ), previously isolated from medicinal plants of the Rubiaceae family, was synthesized in ten steps via methyl 23-hydroxy-3-oxours-12-en-28-oate ( 5 ) from commercially available ursolic acid ( 6 ).

From the aerial parts of Salvia aspera one new tri-nordammarane named amblyol ( 1 ) was isolated besides amblyone ( 2 ). An X-ray analysis was performed on compound 1 . In addition, three known neoclerodane diterpenoids were also isolated. The structures of these compounds were established by spectral and chemical methods. The presence of dammarane triterpenoids in a Mexican Salvia is described for the first time.

The petrol extract from mace of Myristica argentea Warb. afforded six phenylpropenes, three lignans, three neolignans and a dilignan, bis erythro-argenteane ( 4 ) or rel-(8R,8'S,8"S,8"'R)-5',5"'-bis(7-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-7'-(4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-8.8'-lignane]. The last-named compound is a new natural product.