Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory pyridine alkaloids of the leaves of Senna multijuga.

Two unusual pyridine alkaloids, 7'-multijuguinone (1) and 12'-hydroxy-7'-multijuguinone (2), were isolated from the leaves of Senna multijuga, together with the known flavonoid rutin. The structures of the new alkaloids were established on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited moderate in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity, in comparison with the standard compound physostigmine.