ANTIMITE COMPONENTS OF THE HEXANE EXTRACT IVES FROM DOMAIBOKU OF YAKUSUGI (CRYPTOMERIA-JAPONICA)

Antimite components of the hexane extractives from domaiboku of yakusu gi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don), which refers to stumps or logs that have been abandoned in the forest in Yakushima for more than a few hun dreds of years, were investigated. The hexane extractives were separat ed into volatiles and non volatiles by hot water distillation, and the se were tested for antimite activity against Dermatophagoides pteronys sinus. As the non-volatiles were not effective, the following experime nts were conducted with essential oil from the sawdust of domaiboku. T he essential oil was separated into four fractions by molecular distil lation at under 100 degrees C and 1 torr conditions. As the residue of the distillation (Fraction 4) was most effective, it was fractionated by silica gel column chromatography with hexane, hexane/acetone mixtu res, and ethyl ether as eluents. In the antimite activity test, Fracti ons 4.2 (obtained with hexane/acetone=99/1 eluent) and 4.3 (with hexan e/acetone=98/2) were found to be strongly effective. These fractions w ere fractionated by alumina column chromatography with hexane/benzene mixtures and other eluents. In the most effective fractions among the former, cryptomerione was separated by high-performance liquid chromat ography and identified as the most effective component. Furthermore, b eta-eudesmol was identified from the latter. Antimite ability of beta- eudesmol was previously reported,(2)) but it was weaker than that of c ryptomerione.