A new diphenylethane, 2′,4-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethoxybibenzyl (1), and a new dibenz[b,f]oxepin, 10,11-dihydro-2-methoxydibenz[b,f]oxepin-4-ol (2), as well as eight known compounds (3–10) were isolated from the stems and leaves of Dioscorea oppositifolia L. Their structures were elucidated by detailed analysis of comprehensive spectroscopic data. Estrogenic activity of all isolated compounds were evaluated using a proliferation assay in MCF-7 cells. Compounds 1, 3, 7, 9, and 10 increased the proliferation of MCF-7 cell and the expression of ERβ in the MCF-7 cell line. In addition, blockage of ERβ completely abolished cell proliferation and expression of ERβ in MCF-7cells, suggesting that the proliferation effects of Compounds 1, 3, 7, 9, and 10 were ERβ-mediated. The diphenylethanes might belong to undescribed phytoestrogens.

新的二苯乙烷2'，4-二羟基-2,5-二甲氧基联苄（1）和新的二苯并[ b，f ] oxepin，10,11-二氢-2-甲氧基二苯并[ b，f ] oxepin-4-ol （2），以及8个已知化合物（3 - 10），分离从茎叶oppositifolia薯蓣属，其结构经综合光谱数据的详细分析阐明。使用MCF-7细胞中的增殖测定法评估所有分离的化合物的雌激素活性。化合物1，3，7，9，和10增加MCF-7细胞的增殖和ER的表达β在MCF-7细胞系。此外，ER的堵塞β完全消除细胞增殖和ER的表达β在MCF-7细胞，表明化合物的增殖的影响1，3，7，9，和10分别为ER β介导。二苯乙烷可能属于未描述的植物雌激素。