Phytochemical investigation of abietanoid quinones: extraction, structure elucidation, toward systhesis in the laboratory

The rootes of Chinese sage, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (labieteae) are used to prepare an important traditional medicine in the Chinese pharmacoepia, Dan Shen. Indeed, related members of this genus are common traditional medicines throughout the world, making Salvia species the targets of intense phytochemical investigations. The active constituents of these species have been reported to be several abietanoids diterpenes bearing o-quinone or p-quinones. In this report we will present results of our investigation of Salvia species alogwith thesynthesis of some active structures