Chemical studies on new xanthone from Swertia decora

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Swertia decora French, a traditional herb medication in China. METHODS: The constituents were separated and purified by using column chromatography with silica gel. Their structures were identified on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical reactions. RESULTS: Six compounds were isolated from the CHCl3 part of the extracts. Their structures were determined as 1-hydroxy-4,5,6,7-tetramethoxyxanthone(swertiadecoraxanthone-I)(I),1, 3,8- trihydroxy-2,5-dimethoxyxanthone(II),1,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxy xanthone (methylswertianin, III), 1-hydroxy-3, 7, 8-trimethoxyxanthone (decussatin, IV), 1, 7, 8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone(swertianin, V) and tetracosanoic acid(VI), respectively. CONCLUSION: II named as swertiadecoraxanthone-II was a new compound and the others were found from this plant for the first time.