Alkaloids from the Chinese vine Gnetum montanum

J Nat Prod. 2011 Nov 28;74(11):2425-30. doi: 10.1021/np200700f. Epub 2011 Oct 31.

Abstract

During a high-throughput screening campaign of a prefractionated natural product library, fractions from the Chinese vine Gnetum montanum showed in vitro activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa wild-type strain, PAO1. UV-directed isolation of the organic extract from the vine leaves resulted in the purification of the new natural products N-methyllaudanosolinium trifluoroacetate (1), 3'-hydroxy-N,N-dimethylcoclaurinium trifluoroacetate (2), 1,9,10-trihydroxy-2-methoxy-6-methylaporphinium trifluoroacetate (3), and 6a,7-didehydro-1,9,10-trihydroxy-2-methoxy-6-methylaporphinium trifluoroacetate (4). Compound 4 is described here for the first time, and this is the first report of compounds 1-3 as natural products. Compounds 1-3 were found to racemize over time. Starting from commercially available (+)-boldine, through a series of semisynthetic reactions, a mechanism for the racemization of the isolated compounds is proposed. The known natural products (-)-latifolian A (5) and magnocurarine (6) were also isolated during these studies. The antibacterial activity was explained by the presence of 5, which displayed an IC50 value of 9.8 μM (MIC = 35 μM).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / chemistry
  • Alkaloids / isolation & purification*
  • Alkaloids / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / isolation & purification
  • Aporphines / chemistry
  • Aporphines / isolation & purification*
  • Aporphines / pharmacology
  • Benzylisoquinolines / chemistry
  • Benzylisoquinolines / isolation & purification*
  • Benzylisoquinolines / pharmacology
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / chemistry
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / isolation & purification*
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology
  • Gnetum / chemistry*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Aporphines
  • Benzylisoquinolines
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal