Objective To investigate the chemical constituents and their myocardial cell protective activity from the fruits of Daemonorops draco. Methods Compounds were isolated and purified using a combination of silica gel, RP-C₁₈, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated through comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, UV, IR, HRESIMS and NMR. The protective effects of all isolates on the H9c2 myocardial cells injury induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) were evaluated. Results Three pairs of new flavans were purified and elucidated as (2S)-2-ethoxy-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methylflavan (1a), (2R)-2-ethoxy-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methylflavan (1b), (2S,3S)-2-ethoxy-3,7-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methylflavan (2a), (2R,3R)-2-ethoxy-3,7-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methylflavan (2b), (2R,3S)-2-ethoxy-3,7-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methylflavan (3a) and (2S,3R)-2-ethoxy-3,7-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6-methylflavan (3b). Compounds 1b and 2b demonstrated protective effects against OGD-induced H9c2 cell injury, which increased cell viability by (6.36 ±1.26)% and (10.78 ±0.76)% at a concentration of 20 μmol/L, respectively. Conclusion Compounds 1a/1b, 2a/2b, and 3a/3b are three pairs of enantiomers, and they are all new compounds, named as dracoropin I₁, dracoropin I₂, dracoropin J₁, dracoropin J₂, dracoropin K₁, dracoropin K₂. Among them, compounds 1b and 2b exhibited protective effects on myocardial cells.

Daemonorops draco Bl.  /  flavans  /  enantiomer  /  oxygen-glucose deprivation  /  myocardial cell protective activity  /  dracoropin I₂  /  dracoropin J₂  /  dracoropin K₁