Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Cecropia schreberiana Miq. (Urticaceae) led to the isolation of four triterpenoids (1-4), three flavone C-glycosides (5-7), two flavan-3-ols (8, 9), two flavanolignans (10, 11), and two proanthocyanidins (12, 13). All compounds were isolated from C. schreberiana for the first time. This is the first report demonstrating the presence of arjunolic acid (4), cinchonain Ia (10), and cinchonain Ib (11) in the Urticaceae family. The occurrence of flavanolignans within the family Urticaceae supports the likelihood that such compounds are more common within the class Magnoliopsida than previously thought.
Keywords: Cecropia schreberiana; Flavanolignan; Flavonoid; Proanthocyanidin; Triterpenoid; Urticaceae.