Immunosuppressive sesquiterpenes from Tripterygium wilfordii

Five new sesquiterpenes, 1beta-furanoyl-2beta,3alpha,7alpha,8beta,11-pentaacetoxy-4alpha,5alpha-dihydroxy-dihydroagarofuran (1), 1beta,2beta,3alpha,5alpha,7beta,8beta,11-heptaacetoxy-dihydroagarofuran (2), 1beta-furanoyl-2beta,3alpha,7alpha,8beta,11-pentaacetoxy-5alpha-hydroxy-dihydroagarofuran (3), 1beta,7beta,8alpha-triacetoxy-2beta-furanoyl-4alpha-hydroxy-11-isobutyryloxy-dihydroagarofuran (4), and 1beta-nicotinoyl-2beta,5alpha,7beta-triacetoxy-4alpha-hydroxy-11-isobutyryloxy-8alpha-furanoyl-dihydroagarofuran (5), were isolated from the xylem of Tripterygium wilfordii, together with a known compound (6). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic studies. Compounds 2-5 showed significant immunosuppressive activities.