Two new alkaloids from Melodinus suaveolens.

Two new Melodinus-type alkaloids, 15β-hydroxy-14,15-dihydroscandine (1) and 14,15-dihydroscandine (2), together with 6 known ones were isolated from Melodinus suaveolens. The structures of the new compounds were identified from spectroscopic (NMR, UV, IR, CD) and mass spectrometric data and Mosher's method. The new compounds exhibited significant, dose-dependent inhibition of the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO, IL-6 and IL-8 in mice macrophages.