Three new steroidal alkaloids with an unusual 3α tigloylamide group, named sarchookloides A⁻C (1⁻3), were isolated along with four known compounds (4⁻7) from the roots of Sarcococca hookeriana. Their structures and relative configuration were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods including MS, UV, IR, 1D, and 2D NMR data. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines: Hela, A549, MCF-7, SW480, and CEM in vitro. All three amide substituted steroidal alkaloids exhibited significant cytotoxic activities with IC50 values of 1.05⁻31.83 μM.
Keywords: Sarcococca hookeriana; cytotoxicity; sarchookloides A–C; steroidal alkaloid.