CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATION OF EMBELIN THROUGH DIMERIZATION DURING PREPARATION OF A DECOCTION

Embelin, a major constituent of Embelia ribes BURM. (Myrsinaceae) was transformed into different types of compounds through dimerization dur ing preparation of a decoction, Two of the products are proposed to ha ve furanylidene benzofuranone and 1,4-dibenzofurandione skeletons on t he basis of spectroscopic means, The transformation of embelin in boil ing water is markedly accelerated by the presence of fatty acids.