Phytochemical investigation of jointleaf rush (Juncus articulatus)

Besides flavonoids, phenanthrenes are the characteristic secondary metabolites of Juncaceae species. These compounds are of great interest from structural, pharmacological and chemotaxonomical points of view [1] [2]. The aim of our work is the phytochemical and pharmacological investigation of Juncaceae species occurring in the Carpathian Basin. In the course of this work, the isolation of the secondary metabolites of J. articulatus, a perennial plant grows in moist areas, was performed. It is regarded as an environmental weed, it can form dense mats of vegetation and is a strong competitor with native species. The dried and ground plant material was extracted with methanol. After concentration, the extract was dissolved in 50% aqueous methanol, and solvent-solvent partitions were performed with hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. Phenanthrenes are enriched in the chloroform phase; therefore, at first, this fraction was separated by column chromatography and then it was further purified by Sephadex LH-20 gel chromatography. As final purification, preparative thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography were used. Structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was carried out by NMR and MS spectroscopy as well as by comparison the data with literature values. To date, ten phenanthrenes, among them five new ones, were identified from jointleaf rush. The compounds are substituted with hydroxy, methyl, vinyl and acetylene groups. Moreover, two flavonoids, a glycerol derivative and vanillin were also isolated from the plant. All compounds were determined for the first time from J. articulatus.

Publication History

Article published online:
13 December 2021

• References

• 1 Tóth B, Hohmann J, Vasas A.J. Nat. Prod 2018; 81: 661-678
• 2 Bús Cs, Tóth B, Stefkó D, Hohmann J, Vasas A. Phytochem. Rev 2018; 17: 833-851