Ferula (Apiaceae) is represented by 23 species, 13 of which are endemic to Turkey [1,2].
Ferula species used for diabetes, stomach ache, gynecological disorders and hypercholesterolemia,
also known to be immunostimulant, demulcent, digestive, carminative, antihelmentic
and aphrodisiac in Traditional medicine [3] are important biological sources to investigate.
Aim of this study was elucidation of structures of secondary metabolites from F. caspica Bieb. Powdered aerial parts of the plant were extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform
and methanol respectively. Chromatographic studies on chloroform extract resulted
in the isolation of 2,3-dihydro-7-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-2-[4′,8′-dimethyl-3′,7′-nonadienyl]-furo[3,2,c]coumarin
(1), 1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7,11-trimethyl-3-vinyl-6(E),10-dodecadien-1-one (2), 3-(4',8'-dimethylnona-3',7'-dienyl)-2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-6-ol (= caspican)
(3), laserine/2-epilaserine isomeric mixture (4A/4B) and stigmasterol/β-sitosterol mixture (5A/5B) [2]. The structures of compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods (1 H-NMR,
13C-NMR, HMQC, HMBC, COSY and Mass Spektrometry). Compound 1 (= caspican) was structurally
identified to be a new compound obtained from nature; the other compounds were isolated
from this plant for the first time.
[1] Davis PH, Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Vol 4. Edinburgh: Edinburgh
University Press; 1972: 440 – 453
[2] Kahraman C. PhD thesis, 2016: 1 – 8
[3] Altundag E, Ozturk M. Procedia Soc Behav Sci 2011; 19:756 – 777
