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The phytochemical investigation of an alkaloidal extract of Holarrhena pubescens roots led to the isolation and identification of a new pregnene-type alkaloid, mokluangin D (1), together with nine known steroidal alkaloids (2-10). The structure of the new metabolite was determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses including 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Compounds 3 and 4 showed potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum K1 stain with IC 50 values of 1.2 and 2.0 μM, respectively, and showed weak cytotoxic activity against the NCI-H187 cell line with IC 50 values of 27.7 and 30.6 μM, respectively. The substituent groups at C-3 and the carbonyl group at C-18 are important for the activity against the P. falciparum K1 stain.

The phytochemical investigation of the fruit extracts of Uvaria cherrevensis led to the isolation and characterization of four new C-benzyl flavonoids; cherrevenones A-D (1-4) together with 11 known compounds. The isolated compounds were characterized using spectroscopic techniques. Compounds 1, 3, 5 and 11 showed moderate inhibitory activities against the P. falciparum strains TM4/8.2 and K1CB1 with IC 50 values ranging from 21.0 ± 3.10 - 33.7 ± 7.69 and 21.0 ± 5.44 - 43.5 ± 11.9 μM, respectively. Compounds 1, 2, 5, 10 and 11 exhibited strong cytotoxic activities against KB cells with IC 50 values ranging from 0.60 ± 0.17 - 4.91 ± 2.69 μM which were similar to their cytotoxic activities found against Vero cells, except for compound 5, which was non-toxic to Vero cells., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Five new oxoprotoberberine alkaloids, miliusacunines A-E (1-5), along with nine known compounds, 6-14, were isolated from an acetone extract of the leaves and twigs of Miliusa cuneata. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. All isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against the KB and Vero cell lines and for antimalarial activities against the Plasmodium falciparum strains TM4 and K1 (a sensitive and a multi-drug-resistant strain, respectively). Compound 1 showed in vitro antimalarial activity against the TM4 strain, with an IC50 value of 19.3 ± 3.4 μM, and compound 2 demonstrated significant activity against the K1 strain, with an IC50 value of 10.8 ± 4.1 μM. Both compounds showed no discernible cytotoxicity to the Vero cell line at the concentration levels evaluated.

One new p-quinonoid aporphine alkaloid, obtusipetadione (1), and eleven known compounds (2-12) were isolated from the acetone extract of the twigs of Dasymaschalon obtusipetalum. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. The cytotoxic and antimalarial activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated. Compound 1 showed significant in vitro antiplasmodial activity against the P. falciparum strains TM4 and K1 (multidrug resistant strain) with IC50 values of 2.46 ± 0.12 and 1.38 ± 0.99 μg/mL, respectively with no cytotoxicity. Compound 9 had more modest antiplasmodial activity, but significant cytotoxicity.

Chemical investigation of an alkaloidal extract of Alstonia macrophylla bark led to the isolation and identification of two new nitrogenous derivatives, alstoniaphyllines A (1) and B (2), a new indole alkaloid, alstoniaphylline C (4), and eight known alkaloids (3, 5-11). Alstonisine (9) exhibited antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, with an IC50 of 7.6 μM.

A new furanocoumarin named lucidafuranocoumarin A (7) together with 13 known coumarins (1-6, 8-14) and four known alkaloids (15-18) was isolated from the roots of Feroniella lucida. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Some of the isolates were evaluated for their biological activities, and compound 18 showed strong cytotoxicity against KB (IC(50) = 0.637 μg/ml) and NCI-H187 (IC(50) = 0.094 μg/ml) human cancer cell lines, antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum (IC(50) = 0.336 μg/ml), and antituberculosis activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MIC = 6.25 μg/ml).

A new carbazole alkaloid, sansoakamine (8), together with 11 known compounds, was isolated from the stems of Clausena excavata. All structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Compound 7 showed moderate anti-malarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with a MIC value of 6.74 microg/ml.

Nine phenolic compounds isolated from Cratoxylum maingayi and C. cochinchinense were evaluated for anti-malarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, and for cytotoxic activity against the NCI-H187 (human small cell lung cancer) cancer cell line. Formoxanthone C (3) was found to be the most active against the NCI-H187 cancer cell line, with an IC(50) of 0.22 microg/mL, while vismione B (7) had the highest activity against Plasmodium falciparum, with an IC(50) of 0.66 microg/mL.

Five limonoids isolated from the seeds of Chisocheton siamensis were tested for their antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and cytotoxic activity against NCI-H187 (human small cell lung cancer), KB (oral human epidermal carcinoma) and MCF-7 (breast cancer) cancer cell lines. All limonoids (1-5) showed inhibitory effect against Plasmodium falciparum with IC(50) values ranging from 2.06 to 6.31 microg/ml. Only azadiradione (2) exhibited strong inhibitory effect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with the MIC of 6.25 microg/ml. Compounds 1-4 also showed cytotoxic activity against NCI-H187, KB and MCF-7 cancer cell lines and dysobinine (1) had the highest activity with IC(50) of 1.67, 3.17 and 2.15 microg/ml, respectively.

A new prenylated xanthone, 5-O-methylcelebixanthone (1), together with six known compounds; celebixanthone (2), 1,3,7-trihydroxy-2,4-di(3-methylbut-2-enyl)xanthone (3), cochinchinone A (4), alpha-mangostin (5), beta-mangostin (6) and cochinchinone C (7) were isolated from roots of Cratoxylum cochinchinense. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Compounds 2 and 4-7 showed cytotoxic activity against the human lung cancer cell line (NCI-H187) with IC(50) values ranging from 0.65 to 5.2 microg/ml. Compounds 1, 2, 6 and 7 also showed antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with IC(50) values of 3.2, 4.9, 7.2 and 2.6 microg/ml, respectively.