Chem. Pharm. Bull. 59(3): 397-401 (2011)

Dillenia philippinensis ROLFE, known as katmon in most of the local Philippine languages, belongs to the family Dilleniaceae of which there are approximately 120 species. The species D. philippinensis is endemic to the Philippine islands, common in forests at low and medium altitudes. Many Dillenia species are used in traditional medicine for various conditions, such as cancer, diarrhea and arthritis. In the Philippines, the acidic juice of the fruit is used traditionally as a cure for coughs and is also used as a hair cleanser. The fruit is used for cooking to impart a sour flavor to some native dishes. Phytochemical studies on Dillenia species have shown the presence of flavonoids such as isorhamnetin and naringenin and triterpenoids mainly of the lupane and oleanane types. In the present study, the isolation and structure elucidation of sulfated glucoside and secoA-ring oleanane-type triterpenoids is described.