Structures of americanol A and isoamericanol A having a neurotrophic property from the seeds of Phytolacca americana

The structures of new neo-lignans, isoamericanol A (1) and americanol A (2) isolated from the seeds of Phytolacca americana have been elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and then confirmed by chemical correlation with the previouslty known isoamericanin A (3) and americanin A (4). Isoamericanol A, americanol A, and americanin A have been found to enhance choline acetyltransferase activity at 10-5 M in a cultured neuronal cell system derived from fetal rat hemisphere.