Isolation And Structure Elucidation Of Anti-viral Constitutents Against TMV From Ailanthus Altissima

Ailanthus altissima Swingle (synonym Ailanthus glandulosa Desf.) is used in Chinese traditional medicine as a bitter aromatic drug and in treatment of colds and gastric diseases. Previous phytochemical studies have demonstrated the presence in the plant of quassinoids as well as indole alkaloids. So far from 1960s, more than 20 quassinoids have been isolated from this plant, which have been extensively investigated from the interest in anti-tumor activity and structure determination, and some of them have been shown to exhibit useful biological activities. During 1983-1987, 14 quassinoids (shinjulactone A-N) had been isolated from Ailanthus altissima, and from then on, the interest and effort scientist had made on this plant showed a decreasing tendency.Base on the review of progress in research on chemical constituents and their bioactivities of Ailanthus altissima, and our research on anti-TMV activity of extract from this plant, we investigated the isolation of quassinoids from Ailanththus altissima, aimed to identify the bioactive constituents of its anti-TMV activity. 7 neolignans, 3 quassinoids and 2 other compounds were isolated from EtOH extract of Ailanthus altissima. And among the 2 quassinoids tested, 2-dihydroailanthone (compound 8) demonstrated significant anti-viral activity against TMV, and further research on the inhibitory mechanism of this compound is in progress. However, other 5 compounds tested, which contains 1 quassinoid, 3 lignans and 1 aromatic compound, possess an inhibitory rate under 15%.