Isolation and structural identification of insecticidal compounds from Tripterygium wilfordii.

Five compounds were identified from Tripterygium wilfordii, including two novel compounds and three previously known compounds. Two newly discovered compounds are celangulin CY (1α,2α,3β,4β,6β,8α,13-hepacetoxy-9β-benzoyloxy-β-dihydroagarofuran) and celangulin CQ (1α-nicotinoyloxy-2α,3β,6β-triacetoxy-9β-furancarbonyloxy-13-isobutanoyloxy-4β-hydroxy-β-dihydroagarofuran). Their structures were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The isolated compounds were tested for insecticidal activity against the third instar larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda. Both celangulin CY and celangulin CQ exhibited significantly higher oral toxicity in the larvae than that exhibited by the three known compounds.