New flavonoids with 2BS cell proliferation promoting effect from the seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

Ten flavonoids were isolated from the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of the ethanolic extract of the seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods to be 5,7,3'-trihydroxy-5'-methoxylisoflavone (1), biochanin A (2), formononetin (3), irilone (4), tricin (5), daidzein (6), calycosin (7), orientin-2''-O-p-trans-coumarate (8), vitexin-2''-O-p-trans-coumarate (9), and tricin-7-O-beta-D: -glucopyranoside (10). Compounds 1 and 8 are new flavonoids, and 8 and 9 strongly promoted 2BS cell proliferation induced by H(2)O(2).