Biological activity of secondary metabolites from Peltostigma guatemalense.

Leaves and wood of Peltostigma guatemalense, a novel species of the family Rutaceae, yielded a total of 14 secondary metabolites, i.e. methyl p-hydroxy benzoate, phenylacetic acid, beta-sitosterol, lupeol, syringaresinol, scopoletin, gardenin B (1), and seven alkaloids: gamma-fagarine (2), skimmianine (3), kokusaginine (4), 7-O-isopentenyl-gamma-fagarine (5), anhydro-evoxine (6), evoxine (7) and 4-methoxy-1-methyl-quinolin-2-one (8). The compounds have been identified by spectroscopic methods. Antibacterial and antimalarial in vitro activity of the isolated compounds were also determined. Methyl p-hydroxy benzoate and quinolone (8) were the most effective on Plasmodium falciparium strains.