A new C20-diterpenoid alkaloid handelidine (1) and twenty-seven known alkaloids (2-28) were isolated from the roots of Aconitum handelianum. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. The study indicated that denudatine-type C20-diterpenoid alkaloids with vicinal-triol system and benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids exhibited significant antioxidant activities measured by three antioxidant test systems. The aconitine-type C19-diterpenoid alkaloids could serve as potential secondary antioxidants for their strong binding effects to metal ions.
Keywords: Aconitum handelianum; Ranunculaceae; antioxidant; diterpenoid alkaloid; handelidine.