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.     

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.     

Über Alkaloide aus Laurelia novae-zelandiae A. CUNN. 5. Mitteilung über natürliche und synthetische Isochinolinderivate

From an extract of Laurelia novae-zelandiae A. CUNN . the aporphine alkaloids (?)-pukateine (I), (?)-pukateine methyl ether (II), (?)-roemerine (IV), (?)-mecambroline (V), (+)-boldine (VII), (+)-isoboldine (VIII), (+)-laurolitsine (IX), and the proaporphine alkaloid (+)-stepharine (X) were isolated. Compounds II and V were up to now not described as natural alkaloids. These and the alkaloids IV, VII, VIII, IX and X are new for L. novae-zelandiae.     

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.     

Alkaloids from Fruits of Daphniphyllum oldhamii

Seventeen Daphniphyllum alkaloids, including two new pentacyclic alkaloids, yuzuric acid ( 1 ) and daphnezomic acid ( 2 ), and 15 known ones, were isolated from the fruits of Daphniphyllum oldhamii. The structures and configuration of the two new alkaloids were determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods, especially 2D NMR techniques.     

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.     

Mass‐spectrometry‐directed analysis and purification of pyrrolizidine alkaloid cis/trans isomers in Gynura japonica

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are highly hepatotoxic natural chemicals that produce irreversible chronic and acute hepatotoxic effects on human beings. Purification of large amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloids is necessary for toxicity studies. In this study, an efficient method for targeted analysis and purification of pyrrolizidine alkaloid cis/trans isomers from herbal materials was developed for the first time. Targeted analysis of the hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids was performed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (precursor ion scan and daughter ion scan), and the purification of pyrrolizidine alkaloids was achieved with a mass‐directed auto purification system. The extraction and preparative liquid chromatography conditions were optimized. The developed method was applied to analysis of Gynura japonica (Thunb.) Juel., a herbal medicine traditionally used for detumescence and relieving pain but is potentially hepatotoxic as it contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Twelve pyrrolizidine alkaloids (six cis/trans isomer pairs) were identified with reference compounds or characterized by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, and five individual pyrrolizidine alkaloids, including (E)‐seneciphylline, seneciphylline, integerrimine, senecionine, and seneciphyllinine, were prepared from G. japonica roots with high efficiency. The results of this work provide a new technique for the preparation of large amounts of pyrrolizidine alkaloid reference substances, which will also benefit toxicological studies of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and treatments for pyrrolizidine alkaloid‐induced toxicity.     

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.     

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 .     

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.     

Simultaneous determination of the content of isoquinoline alkaloids in Dicranostigma leptopodum (Maxim) Fedde and the effective fractionation of the alkaloids by high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection

A simple and efficient method was developed for the simultaneous determination of eight isoquinoline alkaloids in methanol extracts of Dicranostigma leptopodum (Maxim) Fedde and the effective fractionation of the alkaloids of D. leptopodum by high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The chromatographic conditions were optimized on a SinoChrom ODS‐BP column to obtain a good separation of the four types of alkaloid analytes, including two aporphines (isocorydine, corydine), two protopines (protopine and allocryptopine), a morphine (sinoacutine), and three quaternary protoberberine alkaloids (berberrubine, 5‐hydroxycoptisine, and berberine). The separation of these alkaloids was significantly affected by the composition of the mobile phase, and particularly by its pH value. Acetonitrile (A) and 0.2% phosphoric acid solution adjusted to pH 6.32 with triethylamine (B) were selected as the mobile phase with a gradient elution. With this method, a new quaternary protoberberine alkaloid was isolated and the two structural isomers (isocorydine and corydine) were baseline separated. The appropriate harvest period for D. leptopodum was also recommended based on our analysis. The method for the effective fraction of the alkaloids of D. leptopodum was optimized under this method with regard to the varying significant pharmacological activities of the alkaloids.     

Alkaloids from the Roots of Stemona tuberosa

Four new alkaloids, didehydrotuberostemonine A ( 1 ), stemoninone ( 2 ), tuberostemospiroline ( 3 ), and tuberostemonine L ( 4 ), together with seven known alkaloids, were isolated from the roots of Stemona tuberosa. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. The known alkaloids were identified as 2‐oxostenine ( 5 ), tuberostemonine ( 6 ), sessilifoliamide H ( 7 ), tuberostemonone ( 8 ), didehydrotuberostemonine ( 9 ), bisdehydrostemoninine ( 10 ), and tuberostemoamide ( 11 ).     

Studies on the Alkaloids of Formosan Lauraceous Plants XVIII Alkaloids of Neolitsea Buisanensis Yamamoto Et Kamikoti and Neolitsea Aurata (Hay.) Koidz

Two alkaloids, laurolitsine (V) and litsericine (VII), were isolated from the woods of Neolitsea buisanersis. Six alkaloids were isolated from the woods of Neolitsea aurata and five of them were laurolitsine (V), litsericine (VII), N–methyllitsericine (VIII), (+)–anonaine (IX), and (–)-roemerine (X) (Table I).     

Die Alkaloide aus Hedranthera barteri (Hook. f.) Pichon. 139. Mitteilung über Alkaloide

From the root bark of the apocynacea Hedranthera barteri (Hook. f.) Pichon were isolated the known indole alkaloids vobtusine ( 1 ), voacamine ( 2 ), callichiline ( 3 ), voacangine ( 4 ) and conoflorine ( 5 ), as well as the unknown plant bases amataine, goziline and owerreine, and also beninine and 1, 2-dehydrobeninine. The structures of the two last mentioned alkaloids were shown in an earlier publication to be 6 and 7 , respectively. Amataine, goziline and owerreine are bis-indole alkaloids, which on the basis of their chemical and spectroscopic (especially mass spectroscopic) properties have been assigned the structures 8 , 9 and 10 , respectively.     

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.     

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.     

Angustilodine,an Unusual Pentacyclic Indole Alkaloid from Alstonia

Two new indole alkaloids, angustilodine ( 1 ), with an unprecedented pentacyclic carbon skeleton, and angustilocine ( 2 ), belonging to the seco‐angustilobine‐B group of alkaloids, were obtained from the leaf extract of the Malayan species Alstonia angustiloba, and their structures were established by spectroscopic analysis.     

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.