Withanolide Z, a new chlorinated withanolide from Withania somnifera

Reverse-phase preparative HPLC analysis of the n-butanol fraction of the methanolic extract of Withania somnifera Dunal (leaves) afforded a novel chlorinated withanolide, namely withanolide Z (1), along with four known withanolides, withanolide B (2), withanolide A (3), 27-hydroxywithanolide B (4) and withaferin A (5). Their structures were elucidated by IR, MS, CD and a combination of 1 D and 2 D NMR spectral analyses. The Leishmania donovani DNA topoisomerase I inhibitory activities of the isolated compounds were determined.