Acetyl and butyrylcholinesterase-inhibiting triterpenoid alkaloids from Buxus papillosa

Three triterpenoid alkaloids, buxakashmiramine [(20S)-20-dimethylamino-4′,6′-dimethoxy-5′- hydroxybenzoylamino-3β-methylbuxan-31-ol] (1), buxakarachiamine [(20S)-20-dimethylamino-2′-hydroxy-3β-methyl-3′-methyl- butanoylamino-9,10-seco buxa9(11), 10(19)-dien-31-ol] (2) and buxahejramine [(20S)-20-dimethylamino-2′-hydroxy-3β-methyl-3′-methyl- pentanoylamino-9,10seco-buxa-9(11), 10(19)-dien-31-ol] (3) were isolated from the leaves of Buxus papillosa. Four known bases, cycloprotobuxine-C(4), cyclovirobuxeine-A (5), cyclomicrophylline-A (6) and semperviraminol (7) were isolated for the first time from this species. Their structures were established through extensive spectroscopic studies. Most of these compounds exhibited anticholinesterase activity. © 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.