Xiaohuan Li, Ping He, Xiaoyu Liu, Ruobing Chao, Fengpeng Wang*

West China College of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China

Fuzinoside (1a), a disaccharide glycoside constituent with apparent cardiotonic effect, was first isolated from the lateral roots of Aconitum carmichaelii by Xu et al in 2004 ^[1]. It should be noted that the structure for fuzinoside (1a) should be redrawn as 1b in correspondence with its name, glycerol 1-2-O-b-D-galactofuranosy-1-3-b-D-galactonoside. The natural content of fuzinoside is very limited. For further research of the cardiotonic effect of fuzinoside and its structure-activity relationship, we have synthesized 1b via two strategies with 11 steps and 15 steps respectively ^[2]. However, 1b exhibited moderate cardiotonic activity in the isolated bullfrog heart assay, and its NMR data was not inconsistent with those reported in the literature ^[1]. It shows that the reported structure of fuzinoside (1b) was incorrect. In order to further understanding the structure and biology of fuzinoside, we have designed and synthesized four possible compounds (2-5). The discrepancy in NMR data observed between the synthesized compounds and report one indicated the true structure of fuzinoside remains a puzzle. In addition, compound 2 showed strong cardiac activity in the isolated bullfrog heart assay. We wish to describe the synthesis of compounds 2-5 and their cardiotonic activity studies in the present report.     

References:

1. Xu, D.-M., et al. Zhongcaoyao 2004, 35, 964-966.
2. Wang, F. -P., et al, Tetrahedron, 2014, 70, 4022-4030.