PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION OF CENTAUREA ARANEOSA GROWING IN EGYPT.

The petroleum ether extract of Centaurea araneosa afforded : Lupeol acetate, long chain acid ( C 30 H60O2), Lupeol, β- sitosterol- stigmasterol mixture and a waxy substance. The chloroform fraction yielded three methoxylated flavonoid aglycones of rare occurrence in Compositae namely : velutin, hispidulin and cirsmaritin in addition to apigenin. The ethyl acetate fraction yielded β - sitosterol glucoside, apigenin 7-0- glucoside and luteolin 7- 0 - glucoside. Extraction of the sesquiterpene lactones yielded only cnicin. The structure of these compounds was determined through spectral analysis and chemical interconversion as well as comparison with reported data.