2007 Volume 55 Issue 2 Pages 268-272
Gambir, the aqueous extract from Uncaria gambir (Rubiaceae), has been used as an astringent medicine in Asian countries. Investigation of the constituents in the extract led to the isolation of four chalcane-flavan dimers, gambiriin A1 (6), A2 (7), B1 (8), and B2 (9), in addition to (+)-catechin (1), (+)-epicatechin (2), and dimeric proanthocyanidins, procyanidin B1 (3), procyanidin B3 (4), and gambiriin C (5). The spectroscopic and chemical data obtained in the present study indicated that their previously proposed structures 6a, 7a, 8a, and 9a should be revised to 6, 7, 8, and 9, respectively.