Chemical constituents from the dried root bark of Lycium chinense Mill. and their chemotaxonomic significance

A phytochemical investigation of the aqueous extract of the dried root bark of Lycium chinense Mill. led to the isolation of twenty-four compounds by normal and reversed-phase silica column chromatography and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, etc., including seven alkaloids ( 1 – 7 ), ten phenylpropanoids ( 8 – 17 ), one phenolic ( 18 ), three sesquiterpenes ( 19 – 21 ), one glycoside ( 22 ) and two steroids ( 23 – 24 ). The chemical structures of these compounds were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and compared with literature data previously reported. Compounds 3 – 7 , 10 , 11 , 13 – 14 , 16, 18 – 24 were isolated for the first time from L . chinense , and also newly found in the genus Lycium . Compounds 4 – 7 , 10 , 14 , 18 – 24 were firstly isolated from the Solanaceae family. The chemotaxonomic significance of these isolated compounds was also discussed. • A phytochemical investigation on Lycium chinense Mill. was conducted. • Twenty-four compounds were obtained from the root bark of L. chinense. • Compounds 3 – 7 , 10 – 11 , 13 – 14 , 16 , 18 – 24 were first found from the genus Lycium. • Compounds 4 – 7, 10, 14, 18 – 24 were reported from family Solanaceae at first time.