Chemical Constituents of Egyptian Withania Somnifera Leaves and Fruits and their Anticholinesterase Activity

Seven compounds were isolated from the leaves and fruits of Egyptian Withania somnifera dunal, (Family: Solanaceae). The identity of the compounds based on their spectroscopic data were as follows: two withanolides; withaperuvin C (1), phyperunolideF (2) and four lipids;1,2-di-O-palmitoyl-3-O-(6´´´-sulfo-α-D-quinovopyranosyl)-glycerol (3), vaccenic acid (5), 1,3 dicaproyl,2-vaccenoyl-glycerol (6), vaccenolymonoglyceride (7) and β-sitosterol glucoside (4). All the isolated metabolites except (4) were reported for the first time from this plant. Besides, this is the first report for isolation of compounds (6, 7) in a pure form from a natural source. Different fractions of the fruits of the Egyptian plant were investigated for their anticholinesterase activities where the most potent ones found to be the aqueous, the light petroleum fraction in addition to a mixture of lipids.