ABSTRACT:
Three new HHDP‐bridged macrocyclic polyphenols, designated as Uvangoletin‐7‐O‐4'',6''‐ (
S
)‐HHDP‐
β
‐D‐glucopyranoside (Penthorumside D,
1
), Uvangoletin‐7‐O‐3''‐O‐galloyl‐4'',6''‐(
S
)‐HHDP‐
β
‐D‐glucopyranoside (Penthorumside E,
2
), and, Pinocembrin‐7‐O‐{4'',6''‐[7''',7''''‐(3''',3'''',4''',4''''‐tetrahydroxydibenzofurandicarboxyl)]}‐
β
‐D‐glucopyranoside (Penthorumside F,
3
), along with three known compounds (
4‐6
), were isolated from the aerial parts of
Penthorum chinense
Pursh. Among them,
1
and
2
are chalcone glycosides, while
3
is a flavanone glycoside. Their structures were elucidated by HR‐ESI‐MS, NMR spectrum and electronic circular dichroism (ECD), in combination with data from known analogues. The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) binding activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated, using luciferase activities examination. Compounds
4
and
6
exhibited significant FXR activation at 5 µM (
p
= 0.003 and 0.014), with luciferase activities increasing by 1.28‐ and 1.18‐fold compared to the vehicle control, taking GW4064 as positive control. In contrast, other compounds did not show significant agonistic effects (
p
> 0.05). These findings suggested
4
and
6
exerted promising FXR agonistic effects with potential for development as anti‐cholestatic agents.