Phenolic analogs of the N,C-coupled naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid ancistrocladinium A, from Ancistrocladus cochinchinensis (Ancistrocladaceae), with improved antiprotozoal activities

Abstract The first N ,8′-coupled naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids with free phenolic OH groups, 4′- O -demethylancistrocladinium A and 6,4′- O -didemethylancistrocladinium A, have been isolated from the leaves and bark of the Vietnamese liana Ancistrocladus cochinchinensis , along with its known, non-phenolic parent compound, ancistrocladinium A, and four C , C -coupled representatives. The structure elucidation was achieved by chemical, spectroscopic, and chiroptical methods. The mono-phenolic alkaloid showed excellent activities in particular against the pathogen causing Chagas’ disease, Trypanosoma cruzi .