ABSTRACT
Members of the Polygonum genus of plants (family Polygonaceae) are distributed throughout the world and have found use as herbs and medicinal plants.1-3 Extracts of various Polygonum species have shown significant biological activity in several different assays,4-9 prompting investigation of these plants for biologically active natural products. Flavonoids and chalcones have been isolated from several Polygonum species, and some of these show antioxidative activity.10-12 5,7-Dihydroxychromone, isolated from P. persicaria and P. lapathifolium, was found to exhibit antigermination activity.13,14 Warburganal and related drimane-type sesquiterpenes have been isolated from P. hydropiper,15,16 and some of these sesquiterpenes show cytotoxic, antibiotic, and molluscicidal properties. Emodin, a fairly common anthraquinone, has been isolated from P. cuspidatum and shown to inhibit protein tyrosine kinase.17 A stilbene and several stilbene glucosides also have been isolated from P. cuspidatum, and these compounds were found to inhibit both protein tyrosine kinase and protein kinase C (PKC).18 Anthraquinone glucosides which inhibit plant growth have been isolated from P. sachalinense,19 and xanthone and stilbene glucosides have been isolated from P. multiflorum.20 A lignan glucoside has recently been isolated from P. aviculare.21
