Chemical and bioactive constituents from Zanthoxylum simulans.

Two new benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids, 6-methyldihydrochelerythrine [1] and 6-methylnorchelerythrine [2], together with 23 known compounds, were isolated from the root bark of Zanthoxylum simulans. Structures were elucidated by spectral analysis. Among them, the pyranoquinoline alkaloids, zanthosimuline [3], and huajiaosimuline [4], exhibited cytotoxic activity. In addition, compound 4 showed significant antiplatelet aggregation activity and induced terminal differentiation with cultured HL-60 cells.