A new triterpene, 11α,12α-oxidotaraxerone (1) and a new lignan, saussurenoside (2), have been isolated from the aerial parts of Saussurea japonica. Their structures were determined using spectral methods.

A novel adenosine A1 receptor ligand, 5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-7-methoxy-2-(3‘-methoxy-4‘-hydroxyphenyl)-3-benzo[b]furancarbaldehyde (1), is a constituent of the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Through biomimetic considerations, methyl ferulate was used as starting material for an eight-step synthesis of 1.

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