Grandisines C-G, indolizidine alkaloids from the Australian rainforest tree Elaeocarpus grandis.

Five new indolizidine alkaloids, grandisines C, D, E, F, and G (4-8), and one known indolizidine alkaloid, (-)-isoelaeocarpiline (3), were isolated from the leaves of Elaeocarpus grandis and their structures determined by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Grandisine C (4) is isomeric with the known compound rudrakine (1). The absolute configuration of grandisine D (5) was deduced by its conversion to (-)-isoelaeocarpiline. Grandisine E (6) contains a novel tetracyclic ring system. Grandisine F (7) is the 14-amino analogue of grandisine C. Grandisine G (8) contains the novel combination of a piperidine attached to an indolizidine. Grandisines C, D, F, and G and (-)-isoelaeocarpiline showed receptor binding affinity for the human delta-opioid receptor with IC(50) values of 14.6, 1.65, 1.55, 75.4, and 9.9 microM, respectively.