Bioassay-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract from the stem bark of Neonauclea purpurea used in traditional medicine, resulted in the isolation of 2 indole alkaloids, cadambine (1) and α-dihydrocadambine (2), as well as a quinolic compound, 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (3). Antimalarial activity evaluation showed that compounds 2 and 3 exhibited mild in vitro antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum, the chloroquine-resistant strain K1 with IC 50 values of 6.6 and 11.3 µM, respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 showed no cytotoxicity to monkey (Vero) cells, but compound 3 showed weak cytotoxicity with an IC 50 value of 1.19 µM.
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