Objective: To study the chemical constituents of the inflorescences of Coreopsis tinctoria and provide the chemical basis for development and utilization of this plant.
Method: Various chromatographic techniques were employed for the isolation and purification of the constituents including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and pre-HPLC. The structures of compounds were elucidated by chemical and spectral analysis (NMR, IR, UV and MS).
Result: Eight compounds have been isolated from the inflorescences of C. tinctoria, including three organic acids which are 3,4-dihydroxybenzoicacid (1), 4-hydroxybenzoicacid (2) and caffeic acid (3), one organic ester which is 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-p-coumaric acid methyl ester (4), two flavonones which are 2S-3',5',7-trihydroxyflavanone (5) and (2R,3R)-3,4',5,7-tetrahydroxylflavanone (6), two sterols which are stigmasterol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7) and beta-sitosterol (8).
Conclusion: Compounds 1-7 were isolated from genus Coreopsis for the first time and compound 8 was isolated first from C. tinctoria.