Quassinoids from Twigs of Harrisonia perforata (Blanco) Merr and Their Anti-Parkinson's Disease Effect

Six new C-20 and one new C-19 quassinoids, named perforalactones F-L (1-7), were isolated from twigs of Harrisonia perforata. Spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic experiments were conducted to identify their structures. Through oxidative degradation of perforalactone B to perforaqussin A, the biogenetic process from C-25 quassinoid to C-20 via Baeyer-Villiger oxidation was proposed. Furthermore, the study evaluated the anti-Parkinson's disease potential of these C-20 quassinoids for the first time on 6-OHDA-induced PC12 cells and a Drosophila Parkinson's disease model of PINK1(B9). Perforalactones G and I (2 and 4) showed a 10-15% increase in cell viability of the model cells at 50 mu M, while compounds 2 and 4 (100 mu M) significantly improved the climbing ability of PINK1(B9) flies and increased the dopamine level in the brains and ATP content in the thoraces of the flies.

Automated summary

In this study, six new C-20 and one new C-19 quassinoids were isolated and identified from the twigs of Harrisonia perforata. Two of these compounds showed significant anti-Parkinson's disease potential in both cell and Drosophila models.