Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Coptis chinensis.
Methods: The compounds were separated and purified by column chromatography and their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods.
Results: Seven compounds were isolated from the chloroform extract of Coptis chinensis, whose structures were determined as worenine (1),8,9-dihydroxy-1,5,6, 10b-tetrahydro-2H-pyrrolo[2,1 -alpha] isoquinolin-3-one (2),(+/-) -5,5'-dimethoxy-lariciresinol (3),3,4-dihydroxy-phenylethylalcohol(4), methyl-5-O-feruloylquinate (5), ethyl-5-O- feruloylquinate (6), apocynol (7).
Conclusion: Compounds (3) is isolated from this genus for the first time, compounds (5), (6), (7) are isolated from this plant for the first time.