Vasorelaxing and antioxidant constituents from Hernandia nymphaeifolia

Three new alkaloids, (+)-nymphaedaline (1), oxo-O-methylbulbocapnine (2), and (+)-laetine (3), have been isolated from the trunk bark of Hernandia nymphaeifolia. The structures of these new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. Among the isolates of this plant obtained till now, sixteen compounds show effective inhibitory activities on the contraction of vascular smooth muscles induced by high K+ (80 mM) or norepinephrine (3 microM). In addition, eight compounds showed effective antioxidant activities in scavenging the stable free radical, diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH).