Chemical constituents of the hemiparasitic plant Phoradendron brachystachyum DC Nutt (Viscaceae).

Phoradendron brachystachyum is a hemiparasitic plant widely distributed in México that belongs to the Viscaceae family. It has been commonly used in folk medicine as a substitute for the European mistletoe. In this chemical study, morolic acid was isolated as the major component (47.54% of the total composition of acetone extract) of this plant. In addition, 19 known compounds were identified: β-sitosteryl and stigmasteryl linoleates, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, triacontanol, squalene, α- and β-amyrin, lupeol, lupenone, betulin aldehyde, betulon aldehyde, oleanolic aldehyde, betulinic acid, betulonic acid, moronic acid, morolic acid, oleanolic acid, flavonoids acacetin and acacetin 7-methyl ether. There have been no previous reports in the literature on the chemical composition of this potential natural source of hypoglycaemic and antihypertensive compounds.