Constituents of some West African members of the genus Terminalia

Abstract

Extraction of the root bark of Terminalia laxiflora has furnished a new polyhydroxy-lactone, laxiflorin, the structure of the bromo-derivative of which is being investigated by X-ray crystallography. Unlike the wood of the Indian members of the genus, which yield a variety of triterpene acids, those of the West African species T. avicennioides, T. glaucescens, and T. laxiflora give uniformly terminolic, ellagic, and trimethylellagic acid. Tetramethylellagic acid has also been obtained from T. glaucescens and T. laxiflora.