Studies On The Chemical Constituents In Seeds Of Euphorbia Lathyris

Euphorbia is the largest genus in the family Euphorbiaceae,comprising more than 2160 species,among which about 80 species grow in China.According to our literature about 40 species have been used medicinally in China.Members of this genus are characterized by the production of a milky irritant latex.The Euphorbia species are widely distributed throughout main-lands?both tropical and temperate regions?and range in morphology from small,annual or perennial herbaceous plants to woody shrubs,lianas,and trees and even large desert succulents.In general,the whole plants,stems,leaves,latex,roots,and seeds of Euphorbia species were investigated in chemical and pharmacological studies.Diterpenes occurring in plants of the genus Euphorbia are the focus of natural product drug discovery because of the wide range of their therapeutically relevant biological activities?e.g.,antitumor,cytotoxic,multi-drug-resistance-reversing,and antiviral properties,various vascular effects,and anti-inflammatory activity?.Euphorbiae Semen is the dried ripe seeds of Euphorbiaceae plant Euphorbia lathyris L..Many researches have shown that Euphorbiae Semen is composed of fatty oils,diterpenoids,courmarin and other chemical components.Euphorbiae Semen has broad pharmacological activity,including purgative and antitumor effect.Recently,some novel chemical components are isolated by domestic and foreign researchers,and some new progress has been obtained.27 compounds were isolated by silica gel column chromatography,Sephadex LH-20 and recrystallization.The structures of 19 compounds were identified by modern spectroscopic methods including NMR spectrometer and high resolution mass spectrometry?MS?,IR,UV.19 compounds were elucidated as: Ten lathyrane-type diterpenoids named Euphorbia factor L₂₆,Euphorbia factor L₂₇,Euphorbia factor L₂₈,Euphorbia factor L₂₉,Euphorbia factor L₃₀,Euphorbia factor L₃₁,Euphorbia factor L₃₂,Euphorbia factor L₃₃,Euphorbia factor L₃₄?1*–9*?and twelve known diterpenoids named Euphorbia factor L₁,Euphorbia factor L₂₅,Euphorbia factor L₂₄,Euphorbia factor L_7b,Euphorbia factor L₂₀,Euphorbia factor L_{7 a},Euphorbia factor L₂₂,Euphorbia factor L₁₇,Euphorbia factor L₁₉,Euphorbiafactor L3,Epoxyboetiranes A,?-?-?12E,2S,3S,4R,5R,6R,9S,11 S,15R?-3-acetoxy-5,6-epoxylathyr-12-en-15-ol-14-one?10–21?were isolated from seeds of Euphorbia lathyris.