Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from a Medicinal Lichen, Usnea longissima. -Longissiminone A (Ia) and B (Ib) are isolated together with the known glutinol (II) which is identified for the first time in the title species.Tests for antiinflammatory activity reveal that (Ia) is highly efficient compared to indomethacine and aspirin. No significant effects are observed for (Ib) and (II). None of the compounds exhibit any cytotoxicity. -(CHOUDHARY*, M. I.; AZIZUDDIN; JALIL, S.; ATTA-UR-RAHMAN; Phytochemistry 66 (2005) 19, 2346-2350; H. E. J. Res. Inst. Chem., Univ. Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pak.; Eng.) -Lindner 09-218

Alkaloids Alkaloids U 0600New Cholinesterase Inhibiting Steroidal Alkaloids from the Leaves of Sarcococca coriacea of Nepalese Origin. -From the dried aerial parts of the title plant the two novel compounds (I) and (II) together with two known substances are isolated from the methanol extract. -(KALAUNI, S. K.; CHOUDHARY*, M. I.; KHALID, A.; MANANDHAR, M. D.; SHAHEEN, F.; ATTA-UR-RAHMAN; GEWALI, M. B.; Chem.

Steroids U 0300 Cholinesterase Inhibiting Withanolides from Withania somnifera. -Two new compounds, (I) and (II), together with four known compounds, are isolated from the title plants' roots. Compound (II) is reported to show inhibitory potential against butyrylcholinesterase. -(CHOUDHARY*, M. I.; YOUSUF, S.; NAWAZ, S. A.; AHMED, S.; ATTA-UR-RAHMAN; Chem.

Bioassay-guided phytochemical investigation of Sarcococca hookeriana has resulted in the isolation and structure elucidation of five new pregnane-type steroidal alkaloids: (À)-hookerianamide A ( (2b,3b,4b,20S)-pregn-14-ene; 4), and ()-phulchowkiamide A ( (3b,20S)-20-(methylamino)-3-[(2-methylbut-2-enoyl)amino]-5a-pregn-2-en-4-one; 5). These compounds, as well as the two chemically derived acetyl derivatives 6 and 7, displayed cholinesterase inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner.

A novel sesterterpene, leucosceptrine, was isolated from the medicinal plant Leucosceptrum canum from Nepal. The structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic techniques. The biosynthesis of leucosceptrine (1) is proposed here. Leucosceptrine (1) exhibited prolylendopeptidase inhibitory activity.