Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Bauhinia aurea.
Method: The compounds were isolated by column chromatography over silica gel, reversed-phase RP-18, and Sephadex LH -20. MS and NMR spectroscopic methods were used to determine structures of purified compounds.
Result: Eight compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the ethanolic extract and their structures were elucidated as isoengeletin (1), astilbin (2), neoastilbin (3), isoastilbin (4), neoisoastilbin (5), (+)-catechin (6), (-)-epicatechin (7) and (-)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate (8).
Conclusion: Five compounds were isolated from this genus for the first time except for 2, 6 and 8.