Pregnane‐Type Steroidal Alkaloids of Sarcococca saligna: a New Class of Cholinesterase Inhibitors

Phytochemical investigation of Sarcococca saligna by extensive bioassay‐guided fractionation resulted in the isolation of the pregnane‐type steroidal alkaloids 1 – 15 , i.e. of the five new compounds 1 – 5 and the ten known alkaloids 6 – 15 . The structures of the new alkaloids salignenamide C ( 1 ), salignenamide D ( 2 ), 2β‐hydroxyepipachysamine D ( 3 ), salignenamide E ( 4 ), and salignenamide F ( 5 ) were elucidated with the help of modern spectroscopic techniques, while the known alkaloids axillarine C ( 6 ), axillarine F ( 7 ), sarcorine ( 8 ), N³‐demethylsaracodine ( 9 ), saligcinnamide ( 10 ), salignenamide A ( 11 ), vaganine A ( 12 ), axillaridine A ( 13 ), sarsalignone ( 14 ), and sarsalignenone ( 15 ) were identified by comparing their spectral data with those reported earlier. Inhibition of electric‐eel acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) and horse‐serum butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) by alkaloids 1 – 15 were investigated. These new cholinesterase inhibitors may act as potential leads in the discovery of clinically useful inhibitors for nervous‐system disorders, particularly by reducing memory deficiency in Alzheimer's disease patients by potentiating and effecting the cholinergic transmission process. These compounds were found to inhibit both enzymes in a concentration‐dependent fashion with the IC₅₀ values ranging from 5.21–227.92 μM against acetylcholinesterase and 2.18–38.36 μM against butyrylcholinesterase.     

New Diterpene Alkaloids from Aconitum sungpanense var. leucanthum

Five new C₁₉ diterpene alkaloids, leucanthumsines A ( 1 ), B ( 2 ), C ( 3 ), D ( 4 ), and E ( 5 ), were isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Aconitum sungpanense var. leucanthum, together with the known C₁₉ diterpene alkaloids pseudaconine, neoline, 1‐O‐methyldelphisine, crassicaudine, chasmanine, talatisamine, indaconitine, ezochansmanine, and leueantine D. The structures of these new alkaloids were elucidated by HR‐MS and advanced NMR methods, including ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR (DEPT), ¹H,¹H‐COSY, HMQC, and HMBC experiments.     

Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids from Lycoris radiata

A phytochemical investigation on bulbs of Lycoris radiata resulted in the isolation of three new Amaryllidaceae alkaloids, named 5,6‐dehydrodihydrolycorine ( 1 ), 6β‐acetoxycrinamine ( 2 ), and (+)‐8‐O‐acetylhomolycorine α‐N‐oxide ( 3 ), together with eleven known alkaloids, 4 – 14 . The structures of the new alkaloids were established by means of spectroscopic methods, and the known compounds were identified by comparison of their data with those in the literature. Compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against HL‐60, A‐549, and MCF‐7 cells, with IC₅₀ values of 8.1, 24.3, and 15.0 μM , respectively.     

Alkaloids from the Fruits of Daphniphyllum macropodum

Three new alkaloids, N‐hydroxypaxdaphnine B ( 1 ), 21‐O‐acetylpaxdaphnine B ( 2 ), and methyl 17‐hydroxyhomodaphniphyllate ( 3 ), were isolated from the fresh fruits of Daphniphyllum macropodum, together with six known alkaloids. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic and mass‐spectrometric analyses in combination with chemical transformations.     

Two New Bis‐alkaloids from the Aerial Part of Piper flaviflorum

Two new bis‐alkaloids, flavifloramides A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ), as well as two known alkaloids, N‐trans‐feruloyltyramine ( 3 ) and paprazine ( 4 ), were isolated from the aerial part of Piper flaviflorum. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 2D‐NMR techniques.     

Three New Pregnane Alkaloids from Veratrum taliense

Three new alkaloids, 3‐O‐acetylveralkamine ( 1 ), veralkamine 3‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranoside) ( 2 ), and 6,7‐epoxyverdine ( 3 ), together with five known alkaloids, veramitaline, veralkamine ( 4 ), angeloylzygadenine, veratroylzygadenine, and veramiline 3‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranoside), were isolated from the whole plants of Veratrum taliense. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, and the NMR data of veralkamine ( 4 ) are given for the first time. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of all isolated compounds, except for veramitaline, were tested.     

New Indole Alkaloids from Rauvolfia yunnanensis

Three new indole alkaloids, 10‐methoxy‐16‐de(methoxycarbonyl)pagicerine ( 1 ), (5β)‐17‐O‐deacetyl‐5,11‐dimethoxyakuammiline ( 2 ), and ((16S,19E)‐N¹‐(hydroxymethyl)isositsirikine ( 3 ) were isolated from the roots of Rauvolfia yunnanensis, together with seven known alkaloids. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by in‐depth spectroscopic and mass‐spectrometric analyses.     

New Alkaloids from Hippeastrum papilio (Ravenna) Van Scheepen

A new phytochemical study of the indigenous Brazilian species Hippeastrum papilio is reported herein. Three novel Amaryllidaceae alkaloids were isolated, including hippapiline ( 1 ), papiline ( 2 ), and 3‐O‐demethyl‐3‐O‐(3‐hydroxybutanoyl)haemanthamine ( 3 ). Their structures were determined by physical and spectroscopic methods. In addition, the known alkaloids, haemanthamine ( 4 ), galanthamine ( 5 ), narwedine ( 6 ), 11β‐hydroxygalanthamine ( 7 ), apogalanthamine ( 8 ), and 9‐O‐demethyllycosinine B ( 9 ) were identified. The unusual cis‐B/C‐ring fusion for the new homolycorine representative hippapiline was ratified by NMR and CD spectroscopy.     

Three New Sesquiterpene Pyridine Alkaloids from Euonymus fortunei

Three new macrocyclic β‐dihydroagarofuran‐type sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids, fortuneines A ( 1 ), B ( 2 ), and C ( 3 ), together with the four known alkaloids wilfornine E ( 4 ), aquifoliunine E‐I ( 5 ), euoverrine B ( 6 ), and euojaponine I ( 7 ), were isolated from the aerial parts of Euonymus fortunei. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including HR‐ESI‐MS, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, DEPT, ¹H,¹H‐COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and ROESY. This is the first isolation of the above sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids from this plant, except for compound 6 .     

Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Delphinium yunnanense

Three new diterpenoid alkaloids, along with eleven known alkaloids, were isolated from the whole herbs of Delphinium yunnanense. The new alkaloids include a rearranged‐type C₁₉‐diterpenoid alkaloid, named yunnanenseine A ( 1 ), and two hetisine‐type C₂₀‐diterpenoid alkaloids, named yunnanenseine B and C ( 2 and 3 , resp.). Their structures were elucidated by detailed NMR‐spectroscopic studies.     

Development of an HPLC‐DAD method for the determination of five alkaloids in Stephania yunnanensis Lo and in rat plasma after oral dose of Stephania yunnanensis Lo extracts

For the rational utilization and the quantitative quality control of the Stephania yunnanensis Lo, an HPLC‐DAD method was developed for the quantitative and simultaneous determination of five alkaloids in rat plasma (stepharine, sinomenine, palmatine, isocorydine and tetrahydropalmatine), which were the main active chemical constituents of this plant and belong to four kinds of isoquinoline‐type alkaloids (protoberberine, morphine, aporphine and protaporphine alkaloids). The contents of five alkaloids ranged from 0.09 to 2.32% (w/w). The method validation was tested for the linearity (r² > 0.9975), precision (intra‐day RSD < 4.8% and inter‐day RSD < 4.9%), extraction recovery (85.49 ± 2.29% to 99.21 ± 1.48%) and stability (98.5 ± 5.3% to 101.2 ± 3.4%). We developed an HPLC‐DAD method to simultaneously measure these alkaloids in rat plasma after oral administration of the extract of this plant to rats. The results supported the hypothesis that isoquinoline alkaloids were the compounds responsible for the main pharmacological activities for anti‐inflammatory and analgesic.     

Alkaloids from Ochrosia borbonica

Ten new monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, ochroborines A and B ( 1 and 2 , resp.), 10‐hydroxyisovallesiachotamine ( 3 ), 10‐hydroxyisositsirikine ( 4 ), 10,11‐dimethoxysitsirikine ( 5 ), 10‐methoxyapoyohimbine ( 6 ), 10‐hydroxyakuammidine ( 7 ), akuammidine 17‐O‐β‐D ‐glucoside ( 8 ), 15α‐hydroxyapparicine ( 9 ), and 15α‐hydroxy‐10‐methoxyapparicine ( 10 ), and 24 known alkaloids were isolated from leaves and twigs of Ochrosia borbonica J. F.Gmel . These structures were elucidated based on 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, FT‐IR, UV, and MS data. 10‐Hydroxyisovallesiachotamine ( 3 ), ellipticine, and 10‐methoxyellipticine showed cytotoxic activities against five human cancer cell lines.     

Diterpenoid Alkaloids from Delphinium tatsienense

Three new C₂₀‐diterpenoid alkaloids, along with twenty‐two known alkaloids, were isolated from the whole herbs of Delphinium tatsienense. The new alkaloids include a vakognavine‐type C₂₀‐diterpenoid alkaloid, designated as tatsienenseine A ( 1 ), and two hetisine‐type C₂₀‐diterpenoid alkaloids, designated as tatsienenseines B ( 2 ) and C ( 3 ). Their structures were elucidated by IR, HR‐ESI‐MS, 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR analyses.     

pH‐Zone‐refining counter‐current chromatography for two new lipo‐alkaloids separated from refined alkaline extraction of Kusnezoff monkshood root

An efficient and refined method for the separation of six aconitine‐type alkaloids from the alkaline prepared “Kusnezoff monkshood root” was established. It is the first study that two new lipo‐alkaloids were successfully isolated from refined sample by pH‐zone‐refining counter‐current chromatography rather than synthetic method. It was of interest that a great deal of lipo‐alkaloids was produced in crude extract from the alkalization of “Kusnezoff monkshood root.” A refined sample method was proposed to enrich two types of alkaloids by liquid–liquid extraction, i.e. lipo‐alkaloids and monoester‐diterpenoid alkaloids. The pH‐zone‐refining counter‐current chromatography was performed with an optimized two‐phase solvent system composed of n‐hexane‐ethyl acetate–methanol–water (3:5:4:5, v/v), where upper organic phase was added to 3 mmol/L triethylamine as a retainer and lower aqueous mobile phase was added to 3 mmol/L hydrochloric acid as an eluter. As a result, six aconitum alkaloids, including two lipo‐alkaloids (8‐lino‐14‐benzoylaconine, 8‐pal‐14‐benzoylaconine), three monoester‐diterpenoid alkaloids (14‐benzoylmesaconine, 14‐benzoylaconine, beyzoyldeoxyaconine), and one aconine alkaloid (neoline) were acquired from the plant at the same time. The anti‐inflammatory activities of the two new lipo‐alkaloids were compared to the six alkaloids in vitro, in cyclo‐oxygen‐ase‐2 inhibition assays. The separation mechanism of six alkaloids by pH‐zone‐refining counter‐current chromatography was illustrated.     

粪箕笃中两个新颖的含硝基莲花氏烷型生物碱

Two unusual nitro-substituted hasubanan-type alkaloids, stephalonines J （1） and K （2）, together with ten known alkaloids, protostephanine, dehydrostephanine, （-）-stephanine, （-）-isolaureline, R-roemeroline, （＋）-pronuciferine, （ ＋）-stephafine, （ ＋ ）-N-acetylstephafine, （ ＋ ）-lirioferine, and （ ＋ ）-norlirioferine, were isolated from the whole plant of Stephania longa. Their structures were characterized mainly by spectroscopic methods including IR, MS, and NMR experiments, and the structures of 1 and 2 were further confirmed through chemical correlations with the known alkaloids stephalonines A （1a） and B （2a）, respectively.     

Three New Pregnane Alkaloids from Pachysandra terminalis

Three new pregnane alkaloids, pachystermine C ( 1 ), pachysanamine A ( 2 ), and pachysanamine B ( 3 ), together with four known ones, pachystermine B ( 4 ), pachysamine A ( 5 ), (20S)‐20‐(dimethylamino)‐16α‐hydroxy‐3β‐(3′α‐isopropyl)lactam‐5α‐pregnan‐4‐one ( 6 ), and E‐salignone ( 7 ), were isolated from Pachysandra terminalis. The chemical structures of the new alkaloids were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. All the compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against HL‐60, SMMC‐7721, A‐549, MCF‐7, and SW480 cell lines, some of the compounds showed stronger cytotoxicity for the test cell lines, especially compounds 2 , 3 , and 7 .     

Indole Alkaloids from the Whole Plants of Ervatamia officinalis

Three new ervatamine‐type indole alkaloids, 6‐oxo‐16,20‐episilicine ( 1 ), 16,20‐episilicine ( 2 ), and 6,16‐didehydro‐20‐episilicine ( 6 ), along with seven known alkaloids, were isolated from the whole plants of Ervatamia officinalis. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods.     

Two New Lycopodium Alkaloids from Lycopodium obscurum

Two new Lycopodium alkaloids, (+)‐cermizine D N‐oxide ( 1 ) and (8β)‐8‐(acetyloxy)obscurumine A ( 2 ), along with five known compounds, were isolated from the crude alkaloid portion of Lycopodium obscurum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical correlation. All of these alkaloids were tested in an assay for acetylcholine esterase (AChE) inhibitory activity.     

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids from Onosma leptantha

Three new pyrrolizidine alkaloids, leptanthine ( 2 ), its corresponding N‐oxide 1 , and N‐oxide of 3′‐O‐acetylechihumiline ( 3 ), were isolated from the aerial parts of Onosma leptantha, together with two known alkaloids of the same type, echihumiline ( 5 ) and echihumiline N‐oxide ( 4 ). Their structures and configurations were determined by chemical and spectroscopic methods, especially 1D and 2D NMR analyses, including long‐range ¹H,¹⁵N correlations at natural abundance.     

Alkaloids from the Stems of Glycosmis pentaphylla

A new simple carbazole alkaloid, 4‐(7‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxy‐6‐methyl‐9H‐carbazol‐4‐yl)but‐3‐en‐2‐one ( 1 ), and two new dimeric carbazole alkaloids, bisglybomine B ( 2 ) and biscarbalexine A ( 3 ), together with seven known alkaloids, were isolated from the stems of Glycosmis pentaphylla. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, especially 2D‐NMR techniques.