Network pharmacological, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, ECD, DP4+ analyses, and antihepatoma activity studies of different types of sesquiterpenoids were carried out.
Artemeriopolides A–D (1–4), four novel cadinane sesquiterpenoid dimers featuring the rare 2-oxaspiro[4.6]undecan-1,7-dione, 2-oxaspiro[4.5]decan-1-one, and 2-oxaspiro[5.5]undecan-1-one ring systems, were isolated from Artemisia eriopoda.
Artemselenoid A (1), a rare [2 + 2]-type guaiane sesquiterpenoid dimer (GSD), and 7 new GSDs (2–8) were isolated from Artemisia selengensis; compounds 3 and 8 demonstrated marked antihepatoma activities.
Six rare sesquiterpenoid dimers were isolated from Artemisia mongolica. Compound 1 exhibited inhibitory activity against HSC-LX2 cells with an IC50 value of 165.0 μM, equivalent to that of the positive control silybin (IC50, 144.4 μM).
This review systematically summarizes 682 structurally characterized terpenoids of 22 Chloranthaceae plants and their key biological activities as well as the chemical synthesis of selected terpenoids.