Euscaphinin, a new ellagitannin dimer from Euscaphis japonica (THUNB.) KANITZ.

A new ellagitannin dimer named euscaphinin was isolated from the leaves of Euscaphis japonica (THUNB.) KANITZ. The structure of this dimer was determined on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence. The resulting structure indicated that it was produced by intermolecular C-O oxidative coupling between the galloyl groups of molecules of 1(beta)-O-galloyl pedunculagin, the major ellagitannin of the leaves. The ellagitannins were not detected in the bark and wood part of the plant. This is the first example of the isolation of ellagitannins from Staphyleaceaeous plants.