Antimicrobial Constituents from Fruits of Ailanthus Altissima SWINGLE

A new naturally occurring sterol, compound 5, and six known stigmasterols were isolated from fruits of Ailanthus altissima Swingle by repeated column chromatography and RP-HPLC. Their structures were identified as, 5${\alpha}$-stigmastane-3,6-dione (1), 3${\beta}$-hydroxystigmast-5-en-7-one (2), stigmast-5-ene-3${\beta}$, 7${\alpha}$-diol (3), 6${\alpha}$-hydroxystigmast-4-en-3-one (4), 5${\alpha}$-stigmastane-3${\beta}$, 6${\beta}$-diol (5), stigmast-4-ene-3${\beta}$, 6${\alpha}$-diol (6), stigmast-5-ene-3${\beta}$, 7${\alpha}$, 20$\xi$-triol (7) by spectral analysis and comparison with the published data. These compounds have not been reported from genus Ailanthus, whereas compound 7 was identified by NMR for the first time. In addition, the $95\%$ ethanol extract and compounds from the fruits of Ailanthus altissima SWINGLE were assayed for in vitro antimicrobial activity. The extract was potent active against the assayed bacteria while compounds 3 and 7 exhibited moderate activity.