Three 18(4→3)-abeo-abietanoids, a new natural product and two new compounds, named tripordolides A⁻C (1⁻3), were isolated from the leaves of Tripterygium wilfordii. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configuration of compounds was confirmed by CD and X-ray crystallographic analysis using anomalous scattering of Cu Kα radiation. Compounds 1 and 3 showed moderate inhibitory activities against NO production in lipopolysaccharide-induced (LPS) RAW 264.7 macrophages in vitro.
Keywords: NO; Tripterygium wilfordii; X-ray; tripordolide.