Studies on the sesquiterpenoids of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer. Isolation and structure determination of sesquiterpene alcohols, panasinsanols A and B.

Two sesquiterpene alcohols, panasinsanol A (1) and panasinsanol B (2), were isolated from the rootlets of Panax ginseng C. A. MEYER (Araliaceae) together with known sesquiterpene hydro-carbons, α-panasinsene (3), β-panasinsene (4), α-neoclovene (5), and β-neoclovene (6). The structures of 1 and 2 were established by spectral evidence, chemical correlations to congener hydrocarbons (3, 4, 5, and 6), and finally by their syntheses from (-) -β-caryophyllene. This is the first isolation of 1 from a natural source, and 2 is a novel panasinsane-type sesquiterpene.