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From the roots of Saliva caespitosa Montbret and Aucher ex. Bentham a new diterpene 6beta-hydroxyisopimaric acid (1) has been isolated together with four known diterpenes, one new triterpenoid, 3-acetylvergatic acid (2), as well as five known triterpenoids, two steroids and a flavone. The structures of the compounds were established by spectroscopic analyses. The isolated compounds were tested against standard bacterial strains. Only the new diterpene, 6beta-hydroxyisopimaric acid has strong activity (MIC 9 microg/ml) against S. aureus and (MIC 18 microg/ml) against S. epidermidis as well as against B. subtilis (MIC 9 microg/ml).

A new noricetexane diterpene, salvimultine, has been isolated from the polar fractions of Salvia multicaulis. Its structure was established as 1(10)-seco-2(10)-cyclo-icetexane by using 1D and 2D NMR spectral methods, including COSY, HETCOR, COLOC, and NOESY experiments as well as HRMS.

From the roots of Salvia multicaulis, four new aromatic norditerpenoids, multicaulin (1), 12-demethylmulticauline (2), multiorthoquinone (3), and 12-demetylmultiorthoquinone (4), two new abietane diterpenoids, 12-methyl-5-dethydrohorminone (5) and 12-methyl-5-dehydroacetylhorminone (6), as well as a new pimarane diterpenoid, salvipimarone (7), were isolated. Also obtained in this investigation were the known compounds alpha-amyrin, hinokione, horminone, lupeol, manool, 1-oxoferruginol, 18-oxoferruginol, pisiferal, and sempervirol. The structures of compounds 1-7 were established by 1D and 2D NMR techniques and by chemical methods. The antituberculous activity of 1-7 was tested against Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv, and all compounds were found to be significantly active, with 2 and 4-6 being the most potent substances. Six of these novel compounds were evaluated against a number of additional bacterial cultures.

A new steroidal compound 1-oxo-7 alpha-hydroxysitosterol was isolated from the whole plant of Salvia glutinosa in addition to 11 known triterpenoids and three steroids. The structures were established by spectral data. Cytotoxic activity of the new compound and 7 alpha-hydroxysitosterol were tested against P-388 and KB systems; only marginal activity was found.

From the roots of Salvia forskahlei a new diterpenoid, forskalinone, two new aromatic compounds, the octanol esters of cis- and trans-4-O-methyl-caffeic acid dimers, were isolated together with the known compounds stigmast-3-one, sitosterol and alpha-amyrin. The structures of the new and the known compounds were established by spectral data. The antimicrobial activity of forskalinone and the dimeric cinnamic acid esters was tested against standard bacterial strains and a yeast, namely Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus aureus 6538P, S. epidermidis ATCC 12228, Proteus mirabilis ATCC 14153, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Klebsiella pneumonia ATC 4352, Pseudomonus aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, beta-haemolytic Streptococcus and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Forskalinone showed moderate resistance against S. epidermidis (670 micrograms ml-1) and slight activity against E. faecalis (168 micrograms ml-1). trans-4-O-Methyl-caffeic acid dimer octanol ester was inactive while the cis isomer showed a slight activity against C. albicans (156 micrograms ml-1).

Prangos platychlaena has been used in traditional medicine in eastern Turkey. It stops bleeding and heals the scars when applied externally. When the isolated coumarins were tested against bacterial strains, only a slight activity was obtained.

Investigation of the leaves of Montanoa tomentosa Cerv. ssp. microcephala (Sch.-Bip.) Funk (Compositae) resulted in the isolation of three novel guaianolide sesquiterpenes, montacephalin (1), tomencephalin (2), and 5-hydroxytomencephalin (3), which were shown to be cytotoxic (P-388). The structures of these sesquiterpenes were elucidated through analysis of their spectroscopic characteristics, and complete proton and carbon-13 assignments were made for the new compounds. Also isolated were the known terpenes, beta-amyrin, beta-amyrin acetate, stigmasterol, stigmasterol-3 beta-D-glucoside, (-)-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid, and monoginoic acid.