Acetyl and butyrylcholinesterase-inhibiting triterpenoid alkaloids from Buxus papillosa

Three triterpenoid alkaloids. buxakashiniramine [(20S)-20-dimethylamino-4,6 '-dimethoxy-5'-hydroxybenzoylamino-3 beta -methylbuxan-31-ol] (1), buxakara chiamine [(20S)-20-dimetliylamino-2'-hydroxy-3 beta -methyl-3'-methyl-butan oylamino-9,10-seco-buxa-9(11), 10(19)-dien-31-ol] (2) and buxaehjramme [(20 S)-20-dimethylamino-2'-hydroxy-3 beta -methyl-3'-methyl-pentanoylamino-9,10 -seco-buxa-9(11), 10(19)-dien-31-ol] (3) were isolated from the leaves of B uxus papillosa. Four known bases, cycloprotobuxine-C (4), cyclovirobuxeine- A (5), cyclomicrophylline-A (6) and semperviraminol (7) were isolated for t he first time from this species. Their structures were established through extensive spectroscopic studies. Most of these compounds exhibited antichol inesterase activity. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.