Chemical Constituents from the Branches of Carpinus turczaninowii with Antioxidative Activities

Abstract

Korean hornbeam Carpinus turczaninowii is a deciduous woody plant belonging to the family Betulaceae. This flora is endemic to Korea, and can reach a height of 15 m. In the autumn, the fallen leaves of C. turczaninowii display a beautiful orange-red color and the tree is commonly used for bonsai in Korea. The wood is very hard, dense and fine textured, and has been used for making agricultural tools and furniture. Previous chemical investigation on this plant indicated only the existence of flavonoids such as naringenin and quercetin glycosides from the leaves.1 We have recently reported the isolation diarylheptanoids possessing anti-inflammatory activities from the ethanol extract of C. turczaninowii.2 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are chemically reactive substances which can attack biomolecules, lipids, pro