Six naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids and a related benzopyranone from a Congolese Ancistrocladus species related to Ancistrocladus congolensis

From the roots of a recently discovered Ancistrocladus taxon, with close affinities to Ancistrocladus congolensis regarding molecular ITS sequence data, six naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids, 5′-O-demethylhamatine (2), 5′-O-demethylhamatinine (3), 6-O-demethylancistroealaine A (4), 6,5′-O,O-didemethylancistroealaine A (5), 5-epi-6-O-methylancistrobertsonine A (6), and 5-epi-4′-O-demethylancistrobertsonine C (7), have been isolated, along with a likewise benzopyranone carboxylic acid, 8. The structural elucidation succeeded by chemical, spectroscopic, and chiroptical methods. Their bioactivities were tested against protozoan parasites causing severe tropical diseases. Furthermore, eight known related alkaloids were identified. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.