Chemical constituents and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity from the stems of Bauhinia pentandra

Abstract

Two steroids (1 and 2), two oxepin derivatives (3 and 4) and seven flavonoids (5–11) were isolated from the stems of Bauhinia pentandra. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectroscopic data, and by comparison with data previously reported in the literature. The ethanol extract from the stems of B. pentandra and the compounds, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11 have been evaluated as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, and among these, the compound 5 exhibited the strongest activity. In addition, all the isolated compounds are reported for the first time as constituents of B. pentandra.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Bauhinia pentandra
• oxepin derivatives
• flavonoids
• acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to CNPq, CAPES, PRONEX and FUNCAP for the fellowships and financial support. We also thank to CENAUREMN (UFC) for NMR spectra.

Supplementary material

Includes experimental section, Figures S1–S59.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.