Constituents of Geranium thunbergii SlEB. et Zucc.Xiii.1) Isolation of Water-Soluble Tannins by Centrifugal Partition Chromatography, and Biomimetic Synthesis of Elaeocarpusin

Abstract

A highly water-soluble polyphenolic compound, geraniinic acid A, together with elaeocarpusin which is composed of equimolar geraniin and ascorbic acid, has been isolated from Geranium thunbergii sieb. et zucc. by means of centrifugal partition chromatography and gel chromato-graphy, and the structure was elucidated on the basis of degradative and spectroscopic studies. One of these compounds, elaeocarpusin, was synthesized by condensation of geraniin and ascorbic acid; this route is considered to be biomimetic. The distribution of elaeocarpusin in various plants including Acer nikoense maxim. was also investigated. © 1986, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.