Antiparasitic indole alkaloids from Aspidosperma desmanthum and A. spruceanum from the Peruvian Amazonia

Twenty-three indole alkaloids were isolated from Aspidosperma desmanthum and A. spruceanum. Alkaloids 1-4 were isolated from the leaves, 5-8 from the stem bark and 9 -15 from the root bark of A. desmanthum. Alkaloids 5, 11, 16, 17 and 19 were isolated from the stem bark, 18 and 20 -22 from the root bark and 23 from the flowers of A. spruceanum. Compounds 4, 14, and 15 have not been previously reported as natural products while 16 and 20 have been isolated for the first time from the genus Aspidosperma. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic techniques including 1D and 2D NMR experiments (COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC). The antiparasitic activity of these compounds was tested against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania infantum and their non-specific cytotoxicity on mammalian cells. The most active compounds were 10, 12, 13, and 14 from A. desmanthum, and 19, 21 and 22 from A. spruceanum. Aspidolimine (10) aspidocarpine (12) and tubotaiwine (21) showed selective activity against L. infantum.