The CH2Cl2 extract of the leaves of Annona purpurea L. (Annonaceae) sh
owed strong brine shrimp toxicity and pronounced activity against larv
ae of the yellow-fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Activity-directed fract
ionation of the extract by a combination of column chromatography on s
ilica gel, gel filtration, and high-pressure liquid chromatography led
to the isolation of acetogenins 1-6 as the main active principles. Th
e structures of two novel acetogenins named purpureacin 1 (5) and purp
ureacin 2 (6) were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis (UV, EI- and D
CI-MS, EI-MS of Me3Si derivatives, H-1- and C-13-NMR). The configurati
on of 5 and 6 was not established due to the limited sample amount. Co
mpounds 3-6 also showed antifungal activity against Candida albicans,
and 5 was slightly active against Bacillus subtilis.