Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Gastrodia elata.
Methods: The compounds were isolated by silica gel column chromatography and recrystallization and their structures were elucidated by spectral analysis.
Results: The structures of 14 compounds were identified as: p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (1), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (2), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (3), 4, 4'-dihydroxy, dibenzyl ether (4), 4-hydroxymethyl benzyl-4'-hydroxy-3'-(4"-hydroxy benzl) benzyl ether (5), 4-ethoxybenzyl alcohol (6), anisic alcohol (7), bis(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl) methane (8), 4, 4'-dihydroxydiphenyl methane (9), 2, 4-bis(4'-hydroxy-benzyl)-phenol (10), 4-( methoxymenthyl) benzene-1, 2-diol (11), p-methylphenyl-1 -O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (12), N6-(4'-hydroxybenzl) -adenosine (13) and beta-sitosterol (14).
Conclusion: Compounds 6 - 8 and 11 are isolated from this plant for the first time.