Chemical investigation of the MeOH extract of the leaves of Scyphocephalium mannii (Benth. & Hook.f.) Warb. (Myristicaceae) led to the isolation and characterization of one new metabolite (+)-(7'S, 8S, 8'S)-4,4'-dihydroxy-3,3',5,5'-tetramethoxy-2,7'-cyclolignan (1) along with five known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic means, including 1 D and 2 D NMR, HRESI-MS and by comparison with published data. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was determined by single-crystal X-RAY diffraction. Compound 1 showed moderate antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans with respective MIC and MMC values of 64 and 256 µg/mL.
Keywords: Myristicaceae; Scyphocephalium mannii; antimicrobial activity; cyclolignan.