A new quinoline alkaloid from the roots of Dictamnus angustifolius.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the quinoline alkaloids from the roots of Dictamnus angustifolius G.Don ex Sweet (Rutaceae).

METHODS

The quinoline alkaloids were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis.

RESULTS

A new quinoline alkaloid, 5-methoxylrobustine (1), along with five known quinoline alkaloids were obtained, and their structures were identified as dictamnine (2), robustine (3), isopteleine (4), γ-fagarine (5), and skimmianine (6). Cytotoxicity testing of these alkaloids showed that all of them had weak cytotoxic activities against human breast cancer cells (MCF7).

CONCLUSIONS

Compound 1 is a new quinoline alkaloid. Alkaloid 3 showed stronger anti-proliferation effect than the other alkaloids.