Significant anti-inflammatory aziridine-containing indole alkaloids from the Chinese medicinal plant <i>Alstonia scholaris</i>

Abstract

Two unique windmill-like aziridine-containing indole alkaloids, possessing an unprecedented 6/5/5/6/6/5/3 rigid ring system and an unusual azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane core, were isolated from <i>Alstonia scholaris</i>. Their structures were established by spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism calculations. The novel compounds exhibited significant anti-inflammatory bioactivity <i>in vitro</i> and alleviated LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice.