Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chulalongkorn University, 1999

In the investigation of chemical constituents of the leaf and the root extracts from Azima sarmentosa Benth, three compounds were isolated from the leaf extract: taraxerone, taraxerol and unidentified triterpenoid I. Seven compounds were isolated from the root extract: unidentified triterpenoid II, stigmasterol, 1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde, 1-methoxy-indole-3-carboxaldehyde, 1-methoxy-indole-3-acetonitrile, 5-hydroxymethyl furfuraldehyde and stigmasteryl-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. This is the first report of the chemical constituents of this plant. 1-methoxy-indole-3-carboxaldehyde and 1-methoxy-indole-3-acetonitrile exhibited cytotoxic lethality on brine shrimp (Artemia salina Linn.) with LC50 0.09 and 9.24 respectively. Both compounds, 1H-indole-3-carboxaldehyde and unidentified triterpenoid II also showed antioxidant activity