mexicanolide-type limonoids from the roots of trichilia sinensis

Four new mexicanolide-type limonoids 1–4, along with two known limonoids 5–6, were isolated from the ethanolic extracts of roots of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Trichilia sinensis. Their structures were unambiguously determined by analysis of spectroscopic data, including 1D and 2D NMR as well as MS, and by comparison with literature data. In addition, the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity of compounds 1–6 was evaluated by the Ellman method. All these compounds showed weak AChE inhibitory activity, with the inhibition percentages ranging from 18.5% to 27.8%.