Four Undescribed Sesquiterpenes from the Rhizomes of Curcuma wenyujin

A total of 16 sesquiterpenes were isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma wenyujin, including four undescribed sesquiterpenes, namely wenyujinone J – M (1 – 4), and twelve known molecules (5 – 16). The structures of undescribed compounds were elucidated based on spectroscopic and spectrometric data analyses. Among them, wenyujinones J (1) and L (3) possessed undescribed sesquiterpenoid skeletons. In addition, all the isolated compounds were evaluated for their protective effect against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)‐induced injury in human hepatic L02 cells and for agonistic effect on farnesoid X receptors (FXR) situated with human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells. As a result, compounds 7 and 9 (25 μM) markedly weakened the oxidative damage induced by H2O2 in L02 cells strengthening the cell viability of 72.28% and 74.14%, respectively. Compounds 1, 4 and 16 had a significant agonistic effect at 25 μM, while compounds 5, 7, 9, and 11‐14 possessed moderate to weak agonistic effects at same concentration.