(M)-Bicelaphanol
A (1) and (P)-bicelaphanol A (2), two unprecedented dimeric
trinorditerpenes existing as atropisomers, together with their monomer
celaphanol A (3), were isolated from the root bark of Celastrus orbiculatus. The structures and absolute configurations
of 1 and 2 were determined by spectroscopic
and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Compound 1 exhibited a significant in vitro neuroprotective effect against
a hydrogen peroxide-induced cell viability decrease in PC12 cells
at 1 μM, while compounds 2 and 3 showed
such effects at 10 μM.