In this study, 21 compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Epimedium koreanum Nakai, including 6 phenols (1-5 and 10), 4 lignans (6-9) and 11 flavonoids (11-21). The chemical structures of those isolates were established after extensive one-and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy analyses. This is the first report of compounds 2, 3, 4 and 9 in E. koreanum and of compounds 5 and 7 in the family Berberidaceae. The chemotaxonomic significance of the isolated compounds is discussed.
Keywords: Berberidaceae; Epimedium koreanum Nakai; chemotaxonomy; flavonoid; lignan; phenol.