Evodia lepta

Evodia lepta (Spreng.) Merrill. E. triphylla DC San Ya (root, leaf) Amino acids.55 For arthritis, chickenpox, fever, hemorrhoids, itch, infectious hepatitis. 

Chemical investigation of Evodia lepta resulted in the isolation and identification of twenty-five compounds with the basic unit of 2,2-dimethylchromene or 2,2-dimethylchroman, one semiterpine and two flavones. The biological assay of some of these compounds showed leptol A (7) has killing mosquito activity (mortality 30% at 2.0 ppm), and leptin A (81), evodione (6), ethylleptol A (9), leptol A (7) have weak anti-HIV activity. 

From the aerial parts of Evodia lepta, we isolated and identified thirteen 2,2-dimethyl-chromenes, four dichromenes, eight 2,2-dimethyl-chromans, one sesquiterpene and two fiavones. Figure 2 shows the extraction and isolation procedure. 

Figure 3. 2,2-Dimethyl-chromenes from Evodia lepta.

Four dichromenes were isolated from Evodia lepta (Figure 7). Their structures were determined by extensive 2D NMR studies (H-H COSY, HMQC and HMBC) and analysis of their mass spectra. Interestingly, compounds 15 an 16 have the same planar structures. Both of compounds have two chiral centers, so four isomers are possible (RR, SS, RS and SR). RS and SR are meso isomers... 

Figure 10. Other compounds from Evodia lepta...

Some of the compounds from Evodia lepta had been tested for insecticide activity, anti-fungus activity, anti-tumor activity and anti-HIV activity. The results will be discussed as follows. 

Total twenty-eight compounds were isolated and identified from petroleum ether and chloroform fractions of the aerial parts of Evodia lepta, and twenty-five of them are 2,2-dimethylchromene and 2,2-dimethylchroman derivatives. Biological tests of some of these compoimds showed compound 7 has killing mosquito activity (mortality 30% at 2 ppm), and some compoimds have weak anti-HIV activity. 

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