Antimalarial compounds from Rhaphidophora decursiva.

Bioassay-directed fractionation led to the isolation of 14 compounds, six of which possess antimalarial activity, from the dried leaves and stems of Rhaphidophora decursiva. Polysyphorin (1) and rhaphidecurperoxin (6) showed strong activities against Plasmodium falciparum. Rhaphidecursinol A (2), rhaphidecursinol B (3), grandisin (4), and epigrandisin (5) were less active against the same organism. Among the isolates, rhaphidecursinol A (2) and rhaphidecursinol B (3) were determined to be new neolignans, and rhaphidecurperoxin (6) is a new benzoperoxide. Known compounds isolated include polysyphorin (1), grandisin (4), epigrandisin (5), (+)-medioresinol, (-)-pinoresinol, (-)-syringaresinol, (+)-glaberide I, (+)-dehydrovomifoliol, (-)-liliolide, (-)-hydroxydihydrobovolide, and N-butylbenzamide, of which compound 1 appears worthy of further evaluation as an antimalarial agent. Structure elucidation and identification were accomplished by spectroscopic means including 1D and 2D NMR analyses.