Triterpenoids and steroids from the bark of Pinus merkusii (Pinaceae)

Serratene triterpenoids are considered chemotaxonomy compounds from the Pinaceae family, within the Pinus genus. However, no studies have been conducted on the constituents of serratene triterpenoids of Pinus merkusii. P. merkusii is the only pine species native to Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. This study aimed to investigate the use of triterpenoids and steroids from the bark of P. merkusii as chemotaxonomic biomarkers. Five lipophilic extractives, including three triterpenoids (3β-methoxyserratt-14-en-21-one (C1), 3α,21β- dimethoxy-D14-serratene (C3), serrate-14-en-3β,21β-diol (C5)), and two steroids (stigmast-4-en-3-one (C2) and β-sitosterol (C4)), were isolated from the n-hexane extract of the bark of P. merkusii using column chromatography and thin–layer chromatography. The structures of the triterpenoids and steroids were characterized on the basis of their spectroscopic data. The discovery of serratene triterpenoids and steroids in P. merkusii bark characterizes this species as being in chemical accordance with other species of the Pinus genus and Pinaceae family.