Antibacterial steroidal alkaloids from Sarcococca saligna.

Two new pregnane-type steroidal alkaloids, saligcinnamide (20S,2'E)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-3beta-(3'-phenyl-2'-propenyl-N-meth ylamido)pregnane and N(a)-methyl epipachysamine-D (20S)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-3beta-(N-methylbenzamido)pregnane, along with a known base, epipachysamine D [(20S)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-3beta-(benzamido)pregnane] (3), were isolated from the EtOH extracts of the roots and stems of Sarcococca saligna. The new bases exhibited antibacterial activity against several human pathogenic bacteria. Two derivatives of 1, dihydrosaligcinnarnide (20S)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-3beta-(3'-phenylpropionoyl-N-meth ylamido)pregnane and dihydrosaligcinnamine (20S)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-3beta-N-(3'-phenylpropyl-N-methylamino)pre gnane, and a derivative of 2, N(a)-methyl epipachysamine (20S)-20-(N,N-dimethylamino)-3beta-(N-benzyl,N-methylamino)pregnane were prepared and their antibacterial activity determined.