Objective: To study the phenylpropanoids chemical constituents from the root of Dendropanax chevalieri

and evaluate the biological activity of the nine phenylpropanoids including the five phenylpropanoids isolated previously

and to provide preliminary pharmacological basis for the clinical application of the root of D. chevalieri in medicine of She nationality. Method: The constituents were isolated from n-butanol extract of D. chevalieri 95% ethanol extract by all kinds of column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of physical chemical properties and spectral data. By using phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) as the stimulant

luminol-dependent chemiluminescence was used to compare the effects of the nine phenylpropanoids compounds on the respiratory burst of rat neutrophils. Result: Four phenylpropanoid compounds

sinapaldehye glucoside (1)

syrigin (2)

coniferaldehyde 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3) and icariside E5 (4)

were isolated and identified from n-butanol extract. As results of pharmacological studies

six phenylpropanoid compounds revealed different inhibitory activity on the respiratory burst of rat neutrophils. Their activity were ranked in the decreasing order of scopoletin>(+)-pinoresinol>(+)-syringaresinol coniferaldehyde>β-hydroxypropiovanillon>VC>icariside E5

while sinapaldehye glucoside

syrigin and coniferaldehyde 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside had no inhibitory activity. Conclusion: Compound 3 is isolated from this genus for the first time. Phenylpropanoid compounds isolated from the root of D. chevalieri has a strong anti-PMN respiratory burst activity and hydroxyl group might be a pharmacophore. This is the fist report of the pharmacological evidence for the clinical application of the root of D. chevalieri in medicine of She nationality.