Chemical composition of the bark of Tetrapterys mucronata and identification of acetylcholinesterase inhibitory constituents

J Nat Prod. 2014 Mar 28;77(3):650-6. doi: 10.1021/np401003p. Epub 2014 Feb 12.

Abstract

The secondary metabolite content of Tetrapterys mucronata, a poorly studied plant that is used occasionally in Brazil for the preparation of a psychotropic plant decoction called "Ayahuasca", was determined to establish its chemical composition and to search for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. The ethanolic extract of the bark of T. mucronata exhibited in vitro AChE inhibition in a TLC bioautography assay. To localize the active compounds, biological profiling for AChE inhibition was performed using at-line HPLC-microfractionation in 96-well plates and subsequent AChE inhibition bioautography. The analytical HPLC-PDA conditions were transferred geometrically to a preparative medium-pressure liquid chromatography column using chromatographic calculations for the efficient isolation of the active compounds at the milligram scale. Twenty-two compounds were isolated, of which six are new natural products. The structures of the new compounds (9, 10, 16-18, and 20) were elucidated by spectroscopic data interpretation. Compounds 1, 5, 6, 9, and 10 inhibited AChE with IC50 values below 15 μM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Biological Products / chemistry
  • Biological Products / isolation & purification*
  • Brazil
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / isolation & purification*
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Indoles / chemistry
  • Indoles / isolation & purification
  • Indoles / pharmacology
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Malpighiaceae / chemistry*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Phenanthrenes / chemistry
  • Phenanthrenes / isolation & purification
  • Phenanthrenes / pharmacology
  • Plant Bark / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology

Substances

  • Biological Products
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Indoles
  • Phenanthrenes
  • Plant Extracts
  • Acetylcholinesterase