Bioactive constituents of strychnos nitida g. don stem

Abstract

Eight compounds have been isolated from the stems of strychnos nitida g. don by means of chromatographic techniques. Four of them belong to the group of indole alkaloids : retuline, 11-methoxyretuline, normacusine B and 3-hydroxy-19(Z)-normacusine B. Two are lignans : rac-lyoniresinol and the isomeric mixture of (+) and (-) lyoniresinol glucopyranosides. The others are the iridoid loganin and beta-sitosterol. Of these, 3-hydroxy-19(Z)-normacusine B has been identified as a new alkaloid of the corynanthean type. The structure elucidation of the compounds was performed on the basis of spectroscopic evidences. The determination of their biological activities was also undertaken; some of them have been indicated to possess certain bioactivities.