Skimmianine is a furoquinoline alkaloid that has been found in Z. nitidum and has diverse biological activities.1,2,3,4 It inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE; IC50 = 8.6 ?g/ml for the human enzyme).1 Skimmianine is active against P. falciparum (IC50 = 48.2 ?g/ml), as well as L. gongylophorus, a symbiotic fungus of the agricultural pest A. sexdens (leaf-cutting ant).2,3 It reduces ear edema induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in mice (ED45 = 0.75 mg/ear).4
1.Yang, Z.-d., Zhang, D.-b., Ren, J., et al.Skimmianine, a furoquinoline alkaloid from Zanthoxylum nitidum as a potential acetylcholinesterase inhibitorMed. Chem. Res.21722-725(2011) 2.Khalid, S.A., Farouk, A., Geary, T.G., et al.Potential antimalarial candidates from African plants: And in vitro approach using Plasmodium falciparumJ. Ethnopharmacol.15(2)201-209(1986) 3.Biavatti, M.W., Vieira, P.C., da Silva, F.d.G.F., et al.Biological activity of quinoline alkaloids from Raulinoa echinata and x-ray structure of flindersiamineJ. Braz. Chem. Soc.13(1)66-70(2002) 4.García-Argáez, A.N., Ramírez Apan, T.O., Parra Delgado, H., et al.Anti-inflammatory activity of coumarins from Decatropis bicolor on TPA ear mice modelPlanta Med.66(3)279-281(2000)