A new stigmasterol 3β, 7α, 22-trihydoxystigmast-5-ene (1) and a new eremophilenolide 8α-methoxy-6β-angeloyloxyeremophil-7(11)-en-8β, 12-olide-14-oic acid (2) were isolated from Ligularia dolichobotrys Diels. Their structures were deduced on the basis of spectral data.

A thorough investigation of Ligulariopsis shichuana afforded five new sesquiterpenes, including 1β, 10β-epoxy-3a-angeloyloxy-9β-acetoxy-8a, 11β-dihydroxybakkenolide (1), 1β, 7-dihydroxy-3β-acetoxy-noreremophil-6(7),9(10)-dien-8-one (2), 8a-hydroxy-3-oxoeremophil-1 (2),7(11), 9(10)-trien-813(12)-elide (3), 1β, 10β-dihydroxy-3β-acetoxyeremophil-7(11), 8 (9)-dien-8(12)-elide (4) and 1β, 10β-epoxy-8,12-dihy-droxy-3β-acetoxy-9β-angeloyloxyeremophil-7(11)-en-8, 12-disemiketal (5). Their structures were estab-lished by spectroscopic methods and 2D NMR techniques. In addition, bakkenolide (1) and eremophileno-lides (5) showed antibacterial and cytotoxic activities.

Two new compounds, a stigmasterol (1) and an eremophilenolide (2), were isolated from Ligularia dolichobotrys (Diels) together with ten known sesquiterpenoids, two known triterpenes and five known sterols. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods (IR, MS, 1H, 13C and 2D NMR). In addition, bakkenolide A (3) exhibited effective antitumor activity to human leukemia cells (HL-60), human hepatorna cells (Bel-7402) and human ovarian neoplasm cells (HO-8910).

Four new eremophilenolides, 1-4, have been isolated from the whole plant of Ligulariopsis shichuana. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR experiments. Structures of compounds 1 and 2 were unequivocally established by X-ray diffraction experiments. All of these sesquiterpenes have eremophilane skeletons with 7(11)-en-8(12) lactone units. Compounds 1 and 2 showed moderate antibacterial activities against E. coli and B. subtilis.

From the roots of Ligularia muliensis, a novel bieremophilanolide and a new eremophilanolide have been isolated and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques, including HRMS, IR, UV, 1D-NMR, 2D-NMR, and CD spectra.