Falcarindiol from Eryngium heterophyllum Engelm. and Eryngium pectinatum C. Presl ex DC.: absolute configuration assignment and evaluation of its antihyperlipidemic activity

Eryngium heterophyllum Engelm., commonly known as “frog grass,” is traditionally used to regulate cholesterol and glucose levels. Eryngium pectinatum C. Presl ex DC., plants are also used indistinctly. After fractionation of the MeOH extract from both species falcarindiol (1), stigmasterol, β-sitosterol and mannitol were obtained as the main specialised metabolites. The 3 R,8R absolute configuration of 1 was assigned by vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy using its diacetyl derivative. Lastly, the methanolic extracts and their corresponding hexanes and chloroform fractions were evaluated for acute toxicity and subsequently tested in a tyloxapol-induced hyperlipidaemia model. Both methanolic extracts and their fractions were classified as having low toxicity in mice and demonstrated antihypertriglyceridemic activity, with the CHCl3 fraction of E. pectinatum and compound 1 exhibiting the highest activity. Additionally, docking analysis of compound 1 with PPARγ and PPARα showed moderate affinity. The findings suggest that E. heterophyllum and E. pectinatum possess potential lipid-lowering activity with low toxicity, supporting their traditional use.