4-dehydroxyepisarcovagine A, a new steroidal alkaloid from Sarcococca pruniformis Lindl.

A new steroidal alkaloid, 4-dehydroxyepisarcovagine A (1), along with seven known alkaloids, sarcovagine D (2), sarcovagenine C (3), epoxysarcovagenine D (4), Pachysamine L (5), Pachysamine E (6), sarcovagine A (7) and sarcovagine B (8), was isolated from the roots and stems of Sarcococca pruniformis Lindl. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by means of spectroscopic analysis.