Homoisoflavanones and spirocyclic nortriterpenoids from three Eucomis species: E comosa, E schijffii and E pallidiflora subsp pole-evansii (Hyacinthaceae)

Abstract Three species of the small but ethnomedicinally important genus Eucomis (Hyacinthaceae) have been investigated phytochemically. These have yielded a range of homoisoflavanones of the 3-benzyl-4-chromanone, benzylidene and scillascillin types as well as spirocyclic nortriterpenoids. Eucomis pallidiflora subsp. pole-evansii yielded the novel benzylidene homoisoflavonoid, 8-methoxy-5,6,7-trihydroxy-3-(4′-hydroxybenzylidene)-4-chromanone.