Studies on choleretic constituents in Artemisia capillaris THUNB.

Twelve constiuents (1, capillarin; 2, scoparone; 3, scopolein; 4, isoscpoletin; 5, copillatremisin-7-methyl ether; 6, cirsimaritin; 7, capillarisin; 8, artepillin A; 9, capillartemisin B1; 10, artepillin C; 11, capillin; 12, capillene) were isolated after tesing the choleretic activity of various fractions derived from the water extract of Artemisia capillaris. In tests of the choleretic activity in Wistar rats, four constituents (2, 8, 9, 10) were found to make an overwhelming contribution to the activity. Five constituents (3, 4, 8, 10, 12) were found for the first time in this plant. All of the compounds caused bile secretion to increase without increasing biliary bile acid, cholesterol or phospholipid excretion.