Anticancer indole alkaloids of Rhazya stricta

The leaves and roots of Rhazya stricta (Apocynaceae) yielded four indole alkaloids. Three of these isolated, vallesiachotamine (1), sewarine (3) and tetrahydrosecamine (4), displayed cytotoxic activity; polyneuridine (2) was not reported previously from this species. Tetrahydrosecaminediol (5), its acetate 6, and didemethoxycarbonyl-tetrahydrosecamine (7) were prepared from tetrahydrosecamine (4) by chemical reactions. The diol 5 was highly cytotoxic.