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Eight new alkaloids, the pyrido[1,2-a]azepines stemokerrin, methoxystemokerrin-N-oxide, oxystemokerrin, oxystemokerrin-N-oxide, and pyridostemin, along with the pyrrolo[1,2-a]azepines dehydroprotostemonine, oxyprotostemonine, and stemocochinin were isolated from four Stemona species together with the known compounds protostemonine, stemofoline, 2'-hydroxystemofoline, and parvistemonine. Their structures were elucidated by 1H and 13C NMR including 2D methods and two key compounds additionally by X-ray diffraction. Besides the formation of a six membered piperidine ring, additional oxygen bridges and N-oxides contributed to structural diversity. The co-occurrence of pyrrolo- and pyridoazepines suggested biosynthetic connections starting from more widespread protostemonine type precursors. Bioassays with lipophilic crude extracts against Spodoptera littoralis displayed very strong insecticidal activity for the roots of S. curtisii and S. cochinchinensis, moderate activity for S. kerrii, but only weak effects for the unidentified species HG 915. The insect toxicity was mainly caused by the accumulation of stemofoline, oxystemokerrin, and dehydroprotostemonine displaying two different modes of action. Based on the various insecticidal activities of 13 derivatives structure-activity relationships became apparent.

On the basis of chronic feeding bioassays with neonate larvae of Spodoptera littoralis reared on an artificial diet, the methanolic leaf and root extracts from Stemona collinsae displayed very high insect toxicity compared to those of two Aglaia species, a commercial Pyrethrum extract, and azadirachtin, whereas S. tuberosa extracts demonstrated low activity in roots and no activity in leaves. Beyond that, in leaf disk choice tests against fifth instar larvae, S. collinsae showed strong antifeedant activity, whereas S. tuberosa was characterized by remarkable repellency. The anti-insect properties of both species were based on pyrrolo[1,2-a]azepine alkaloids, from which didehydrostemofoline (asparagamine A) was the major compound of the roots of S. collinsae, exhibiting the highest toxicity in feeding assays. Saturation and hydroxylation of the side chain in the co-occurring stemofoline and 2'-hydroxystemofoline, respectively, led to an increasing loss of activity. Contact toxicity tests with stemofoline and didehydrostemofoline exhibited even higher activities than those of Pyrethrum extract. Tuberostemonine was the dominating alkaloid in the roots of S. tuberosa, showing outstanding repellency but no toxic effects.

Bioassays with lipophilic crude extracts of four Fijian Aglaia species against Spodoptera littoralis displayed strong insecticidal activity for A. basiphylla and A. gracilis, whereas A. archboldiana and A. vitiensis did not have any significant effects. The insect toxicity of A. basiphylla was caused by the well known benzofuran flavaglines rocaglamide, desmethylrocaglamide and aglafoline. In contrast, A. gracilis contained four related pyrimidinone derivatives in the root and stem bark, including two new congeners named marikarin and 3'-hydroxymarikarin. Moreover, two new putrescine bisamides, secoodorine and secopiriferine, a new benzopyran flavagline. desacetylaglain A. and a new norsesquiterpene were isolated from the leaves together with three known bisamides and 3-hydroxy-5,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Comparative feeding assays within the active pyrimidinone flavaglines showed that the free hydroxy group in aromatic ring A of marikarin diminishes insecticidal activity.