Bioactive 5α-Pregnane-Type Steroidal Alkaloids from Sarcococca hookeriana

Abstract

The bioassay-guided phytochemical investigation of Sarcococca hookeriana with respect to cholinesterase inhibitory properties has yielded two new 5α-pregnane-type steroidal alkaloids, hookerianamides J (1) and K (2), along with eight known compounds (3−10). The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. These compounds displayed good to moderate activities in vitro against the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (IC50 8.1−48.5 μM) and butyrylcholinesterase (IC50 0.4−4.0 μM). Compounds 1−10 were also tested in vitro for their leishmanicidal activity against Leishmania major and for their antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Streptococcus faecalis, and Pseudomonas pallida.