Diterpenoids and triterpenoids of Salvia x jamensis.

The genus Salvia L. (Lamiaceae) includes over 900 species widespread all over the world. Various plants of this genus are widely used in folk medicine and some species are listed in the modern Pharmacopoeias. Interesting compounds of this genus are flavonoids, essential oils, diterpenes and triterpenes many of which possess anti-insect (antifeedant), anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, hallucinogenic and antioxidant activities. As a part of our phytochemical research on species of the genus Salvia cultivated in Italian “Riviera dei Fiori” (Liguria) we have studied the exudate of Salvia x jamensis J. Compton. From the surface exudate, obtained by immersion of the fresh aerial parts in CH2Cl2, we have isolated two triterpenoids 1 and 2 and four diterpenoids 3-6 by repeated column chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 and silica gel. Compounds 1-5 were identified as ursolic acid, betulinic acid, isopimaric acid, 14--hydroxy-isopimaric acid and 7,8-dihydrosalviacoccin respectively by comparison of their spectral data with those reported previously. 6 is a new natural compound and its structure was determined as shown (15,16-epoxy-cleroda-3-en-7,10-dihydroxy-12,17;19,18-diolide) from the 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra and on the basis of 1H-1H-COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, HSQC and HMBC correlations