Lycopodium alkaloids from Huperzia serrata

Abstract

A new lycopodane-type Lycopodium alkaloid, 6α-hydroxy-5,15-oxide-lycopodane (1), and seven known alkaloids were isolated from the whole plants of Huperzia serrata. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods. 12-Deoxyhuperzine O (2) was reported as a naturally occurring alkaloid for the first time, and showed an antagonist effect on the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor with an IC₅₀ value of 0.92 μM.

Keywords:

• Huperzia serrata
• Lycopodium alkaloids
• 6α-hydroxy-5,15-oxide-lycopodane
• 12-deoxyhuperzine O
• [³H]MK-801 binding
• NMDA receptor

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Prof. G.Y. Hu of the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, CAS, for biological evaluation. This study was supported by grants ‘Key New Drug Creation and Manufacturing Program’ (2008ZXJ09002-011 and 2009ZX09301-001) of the National Science and Technology Major Project from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.