The chemical composition of Spathelia excelsa (Krause) R. S. Cowan & Brizicky was investigated and the limonoids harrisonin (1) and deacetylspathelin (2), alkaloids folinin and casimiroin mixture (3a, b), plus a further casimiroin (3b) were identified in methanol extract from root. The CH2Cl2 extract from the rachis yielded protolimonoid 3β-angeloyl-21,24-epoxy-7α,21α,23α,25-tetrahydroxy-4α,4β,8β,10β-tetramethyl-25-dimethyl-14,18-cyclo-5α,13α,14α,17α-cholestane (4), and methanol extract, the limonoids limonin diosphenol (5) and perforatin (6), as well as the chromone biflorin (7). Harrisonin and biflorin were isolated for the first time in this genus. On the antifungal assay against witches' broom (Moniliophthoraperniciosa) compound 3b was found to be active.
Spathelia; alkaloids; Moniliophthoraperniciosa
