Benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids from stem bark of the Forest Knobwood, Zanthoxylum davyi (Rutaceae)

P.K. Tarus, P.H. Coombes, N.R. Crouch, D.A. Mulholland
2006 South African Journal of Botany  
The stem bark of the southern African ethnomedicinal tree Zanthoxylum davyi (Rutaceae) has yielded five benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids, chelerythrine, dihydrochelerythrine, bocconoline, 6-hydroxydihydrochelerythrine and 6-methoxy-7-demethyldihydrochelerythrine, together with 4-methoxy-1-methyl-2(1H)-quinolinone and the uncommon lignan meso-sesamin. The chemotaxonomic and ethnopharmacological relevance of these compounds is discussed, particularly that of the well-documented antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory chelerythrine.
doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2006.03.014 fatcat:oicqvnpdardllbg6vwwhl6tnk4