Two new anxiolytic phenanthrenes found in the medullae of Juncus effusus

Abstract

Six phenanthrenes, 2-methoxy-7-hydroxy-1-methyl-5-vinyl phenanthrene (1), juncusin (2), dehydroeffusol (3), juncusol (4), effusol (5), and dehydroeffusal (6), were isolated from the medullae of Juncus effusus L. Compounds 1 and 2 were identified as being new structures, and both of them showed anxiolytic activity at dosages of 10 and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively.