Sesquiterpenoids from the Chinese endangered plant Manglietia aromatica

One new bourbonane-type (1) and one new cadinane-type (2) sesquiterpenoids, along with one known aromodendrane-type (3) and five known megastigmane-type (4–8) compounds, were isolated from the leaves and twigs of Manglietia aromatica, a Chinese endangered plant that has not been previously phytochemically investigated. The structures and absolute configurations of the new isolates, (1R,4S,5S,6S,7S,10S)-4-hydroxy-bourbon-8-one (1) and (1R,6S,7S)-1-hydroxy- cadin-4,9-dien-8-one (2), were established by means of spectroscopic methods and a combination of experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD). Among the isolates, compound 2 was found to show a moderate inhibitory effect against the human protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 B (PTP1B) enzyme, a target for the treatment of type-II diabetes and obesity, with an IC₅₀ value of 83.5 μM.