Targeted Isolation of Hemitheion from Mostuea brunonis, a Proposed Biosynthetic Intermediate of Theionbrunonines

J Nat Prod. 2021 Apr 23;84(4):1409-1413. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c00143. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Abstract

Hemitheion (1), a new sulfur-containing vobasane-type indole alkaloid, was isolated, together with three known compounds, vobasine (2), gelsedine (3), and gelsemicine (4), from the alkaloid extract of the stems of Mostuea brunonis Didr. (Gelsemiaceae). Compound 1 could be straightforwardly isolated. Its structure was elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic methods. Besides corresponding to a formerly postulated biosynthetic intermediate toward theionbrunonines, hemitheion (1) stands among the few monomeric vobasanes lacking an oxygen at C-3. Hemitheion (1) showed moderate antiplasmodial activity in the micromolar range against the strain FcB1 of Plasmodium falciparum and no cytotoxic activity against the MRC-5 cell line at 20 μM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials / isolation & purification
  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Gabon
  • Humans
  • Indole Alkaloids / isolation & purification
  • Indole Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Loganiaceae / chemistry*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Oxindoles
  • Phytochemicals / isolation & purification
  • Phytochemicals / pharmacology
  • Plant Stems / chemistry
  • Plasmodium falciparum

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Indole Alkaloids
  • Oxindoles
  • Phytochemicals
  • gelsedine
  • vobasine