Eudesmane Derivatives from Verbesina turbacensis

Species of the genus Verbesina (Asteraceae, tribe Heliantheae, subtribe Ecliptinae) have produced a range of eudesmane sesquiterpenes with cinnamate or a derived ester group, of which, αand β-verbesinolcoumarates were the first reported examples. Several species also afforded elemanolides, diterpenes, flavonoids, and biological active guanidines as Galegine, the toxic principle of V. enceloides Benth. As a continuation of our phytochemical investigation on Venezuelan Compositae, in this paper we describe the results of our study of Verbesina turbacensis H.B.K., a previously uninvestigated species, which is widely distributed throughout of Central America from Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela. V. turbacensis as well as V. caracasana Fries, a plant which contains the dosedependent hypotensive agent Caracasanamide, are frequently used in Venezuela as medicinal plants against a variety of diseases.