Quinolizidine alkaloids from the roots of Sophora flavescens

Seventeen quinolizidine alkaloids, including a new matrine-type one, sophcence A (1), were isolated from the roots of Sophora flavescens Alt. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by means of 1D and 2D NMR, as well as HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic data. The NMR data of (-)-Δ ⁷-dehydrosophoramine (10) and oxy-N-methylcytisine (12) were reported for the first time. In addition, (+)-sophoranol (4) exhibited moderate inhibition on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC₅₀ value of 22.14 μM, while lupanine (17) was found to inhibit the growth of human glioma stem cells GSC-3# at 20 μg/mL.

Keywords: Sophora flavescens Alt; Sophora; anti-inflammation; cytotoxicity; quinolizidine alkaloids.