Nine undescribed monoterpene indole alkaloids, rauvomitorine A-I, including an unprecedented C-9-methoxymethylene-sarpagine framework alkaloid, two rare suaveoline framework type alkaloids, and six yohimbine framework type alkaloids, as well as eleven known alkaloids, were isolated from the stems of Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel. (Apocynaceae). The structures of the unreported alkaloids were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis with Cu Kα radiation. Rauvomitorine A with an unreported framework type represents the first example of C-9-methoxymethylene-sarpagine alkaloids and its plausible biosynthetic pathway was proposed. All the isolated alkaloids were evaluated their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (AChE) activities and cytotoxicity against five cancer cell lines and some of them exhibited potential anti-AChE activities with IC₅₀ values ranging from 49.76 to 186.62 μM. Importantly, this is the first report of the AChE inhibitory activities on suaveoline framework type alkaloids, suggesting this type of alkaloids may be valuable sources for the discovery of AChE inhibitory agents. A preliminary structure-activity relationship for AChE inhibitory activities of the isolated alkaloids is also discussed, providing some clues to designing lead compounds for AChE inhibitors.

Keywords: AChE inhibitory activity; Monoterpene indole alkaloids; NMR analysis; Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel. (apocynaceae).