10.1248/cpb.43.1558
The research aimed to investigate the aldose reductase inhibitory activity of five new C-methyl flavonoids, matteuorien (6), matteuorienate A (7), matteuorienate B (8), matteuoricnate C (9), and matteuorienin (10), isolated from the rhizome of Matteuccia orientalis TREV., a traditional Chinese medicine. The purpose was to explore the potential of these compounds in treating diabetic complications by inhibiting the polyol pathway, a process implicated in the development of such complications. The study concluded that matteuorienate A, B, and C were the most potent aldose reductase inhibitors known from natural sources, with their activity being as effective as the drug epalrestat even in the presence of albumin. The chemicals used in the process included various solvents for extraction and purification, such as chloroform, methanol, and water, as well as reagents for spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods like diazomethane for methylation, hydrochloric acid for acid hydrolysis, and potassium hydroxide for alkali hydrolysis. The research also utilized various spectroscopic techniques, including NMR, IR, UV, and mass spectrometry, to determine the structures of the compounds.