AlpiniaRoxb. is the largest genus of the Zingiberaceae family.

The volatile compounds identified from four species of Annona from Vietnam are being reported. The oils were obtained from aliquots of plant samples by steam distillation and subjected to GC and GC–MS analysis. The main compounds of Annona glabra L., were β-caryophyllene (21.5%) germacrene D (17.7%), α-cadinol (5.4%) and β-elemene (5.2%). Annona squamosa L., comprised mainly of α-pinene (1.0–11.9%), limonene (0.8–11.7%), β-cubebene (0.5–13.0%), β-caryophyllene (11.6–24.5%), spathulenol (0.8–9.0%), caryophyllene oxide (1.0–10.6%) and α-cadinol (3.3–7.8%). The significant constituents of Annona muricata L., were α-pinene (9.4%), β-pinene (20.6%), ρ-mentha-2,4(8)-diene (9.8%), β-elemene (9.1%) and germacrene D (18.1%). However, camphene (0.2–6.6%), α-copaene (2.0–7.3%), β-elemene (5.9–16.6%), β-caryophyllene (8.3–14.9%), β-bisabolene (0.4–10.2%), δ-cadinene (1.7–4.8%) and germacrene D (9.3–22.8%) were the main compounds common to samples of Annona reticulata L. There were significant amounts of sabinene (11.2% and 2.7%; leaf and stem bark) and bicycloelemene (9.6% and 6.1%; stem and bark).

Fifty-seven compounds were purified from the stems of Tinospora sinensis, including three new compounds characterized as a lignan (1), a pyrrole alkaloid (11), and a benzenoid (17), respectively. Their structures were elucidated and established by various spectroscopic and spectrometric analytical methods. Among the isolates, fifteen compounds were examined for their anti-inflammatory potential in vitro. The results showed that several compounds displayed moderate inhibition of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine/cytochalasin B (fMLP/CB)-induced superoxide anion generation and elastase release.

A new tirucallane-type triterpenoid igniarine (1), and four known compounds meshimakobnol A (2), meshimakobnol B (3), ergosterol (4) and ergosterol peroxide (5), were purified from the methanol extracts of the fruiting bodies of Phellinus igniarius (DC. ex Fr.) Quél. The structure of 1 was elucidated using a combination of 1D and 2D NMR techniques and HR-ESI-MS analyses. In addition, the isolated compounds were examined for their cytotoxicity against several tumour cell lines and part of the tested compounds demonstrated weak cytotoxicity.

In the present study, the chemical investigation of the leaves of Annona reticulata has resulted in the identification of nine compounds, including annonaretin A, (1), a new triterpenoid. The purified compounds were subjected to the examination of their effects on NO inhibition in LPS-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages and most of them exhibited significant NO inhibition, with IC₅₀ values in the range of 48.6 ± 1.2 and 99.8 ± 0.4 μM.