title: Antimicrobial alkaloids from Zanthoxylum tetraspermum and caudatum.
abstract: Two benzophenanthrene alkaloids, 8-acetonyldihydronitidine and 8-acetonyldihydroavicine were isolated from Zanthoxylum tetraspermum stem bark along with liriodenine, sesamin, lichexanthone and (+)-piperitol-gamma,gamma-dimethylallylether. The species endemic to Sri Lanka, Z. caudatum, contained sesamin, savinin, liriodenine, decarine and 8-O-desmethyl-N-nornitidine. 8-Acetonyldihydronitidine and 8-acetonyldihydroavicine showed significant antibacterial activity while the former along with liriodenine was strongly antifungal. Savinin exhibited potent spermicidal activity. Both savinin and sesamin exhibited significant insecticidal activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Nissanka
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Karunaratne
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Bandara
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inada
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Tillekeratne
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Wijesundara
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gunatilaka
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019685:Rosales / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C433025:8-acetonyldihydroavicine; C433024:8-acetonyldihydronitidine; D000470:Alkaloids; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010616:Phenanthrenes