Cholinesterase inhibitory constituents from Ficus bengalensis.

Bengalensinone (22β-hydroxylup-12,20-dien-3-one; 1), a new lupane triterpene, and benganoic acid (2), a new apocarotenoid, together with lupanyl acetate, 3-acetoxy-9(11),12-ursandiene, stigmasterol, alpinumisoflavone, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxymellein, and p-coumeric acid were isolated from the methanolic extract of the aerial roots of Ficus bengalensis. The structures of these compounds were established by the combination of 1D NMR (¹H and ¹³C NMR) and 2D NMR (HMQC, HMBC, and COSY) analyses, and mass spectrometry (EI-MS and HR-EI-MS), and in comparison with literature data of the related compounds. Compounds 1 and 2 displayed inhibitory potential against enzyme cholinesterase in a concentration-dependent manner with IC₅₀ values 194.5 and 154.5 μM for acetylcholinesterase and 224.9 and 120.0 μM for butyrycholinesterase, respectively.