Broussonetine,a bisquinolyl-γ-butyrolactone from Broussonetia zeylanica

The wood of B. zeylanica (Moraceae) contains a new alkaloid broussonetine, identified as 3,4-bis(8- hydroxyquinolin-4-yl)-γ-butyrolactone.     

Sativanine-C: A cyclopeptide alkaloid from the bark of Zizyphus sativa

From the bark of Zizyphus sativa a previously undescribed 13 membered cyclopeptide alkaloid, sativanine-C has been isolated. The structure of this new compound was elucidated by spectroscopic methods, its transformation product and by chemical degradation.     

Localization of tabersonine 16-hydroxylase and 16-OH tabersonine-16-O-methyltransferase to leaf epidermal cells defines them as a major site of precursor biosynthesis in the vindoline pathway in Catharanthus roseus

The Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) produces the well known and remarkably complex anticancer dimeric alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine, which are derived by the coupling of vindoline and catharanthine monomers. Recent data from in situ RNA hybridization and immunolocalization suggest that combinatorial cell factories within the leaf are involved in vindoline biosynthesis. In this study, the cell types responsible for vindoline biosynthesis were identified by laser-capture microdissection/RNA isolation/RT-PCR to show that geraniol hydroxylase, secologanin synthase, tryptophan decarboxylase, strictosidine synthase, strictosidine ss-glucosidase and tabersonine 16-hydroxylase can be detected preferentially in epidermal cells. A new and complementary application of the carborundum abrasion (CA) technique was developed to obtain epidermis-enriched leaf extracts that can be used to measure alkaloid metabolite levels, enzyme activities and gene expression. The CA technique showed that tabersonine and 16-methoxytabersonine, together with 16-hydroxytabersonine-16-O-methyltransferase, are found predominantly in Catharanthus leaf epidermis, in contrast to vindoline, catharanthine and later enzymatic steps in vindoline biosynthesis. The results show that leaf epidermal cells are biosynthetically competent to produce tryptamine and secologanin precursors that are converted via many enzymatic transformations to make 16-methoxytabersonine. This alkaloid or its 2,3 dihydro-derivative is then transported to cells (mesophyll/idioblast/laticifer) within Catharanthus leaves to complete the last three or four enzymatic transformations to make vindoline.     

A Convenient Method for the Quantitative Determination of Pipecolic Acid

The quantitative determination of pipecolic acid was examined.

The reaction of 3% ninhydrin solution in n-butanol, saturated with citrate buffer (pH 4.2), with pipecolic acid in boiling water for 3 min yielded the colored products showing λ_max at 570 mμ, but with proline hardly yielded those products. By the colorimetry proposed, it is possible to determine the amount of pipecolic acid in the sample containing proline no more than 50 times the amount of the pipecolic acid, directly from the calibration curve using pipecolic acid.

The method for removal of amino acids from the sample containing pipecolic acid and proline was examined and discussed.     

大花翠雀的新二萜生物碱

从大花翠雀(Delphinium grandiflorum L.)的地上部分分离到两个微量的新二萜生物碱——大花翠雀辛(grandifloricine,Ⅰ)和大花翠雀亭(grandifloritine,Ⅱ)。通过分析光谱信息测定了它们的化学结构,并通过化学反应转变为 takaosamine 而得到确证。     

黄皮种子中酰胺类生物碱及其杀线虫活性研究

为了解黄皮种子中的酰胺类生物碱及其杀线虫活性,运用多种色谱学及波谱学方法分离并鉴定了10个酰胺类生物碱,分别为:N-甲基桂皮酰胺(1),clausenalansamide A(2),3-dehydroxy-3-methoxyl-clausenalansamide A(3),clausenalansamide B(4),黄皮新肉桂酰胺B(5),N-(2-苯乙基)肉桂酰胺(6),2′-dehydroxy-2′-oxo-clausenalansamide B(7),lansamide-7(8),homoclausenamide(9),1,5-dihydro-5-hydroxy-1-methyl-3,5-diphenyl-2H-pyrrol-2-one(10)。其中,化合物3,7,10为新天然产物。首次对黄皮种子中的酰胺类生物碱2~8进行全齿复活线虫致死活性的测试,发现所测化合物均有致死活性,其中,化合物2,3,5和8有较强的致死活性,且均优于阳性对照除线磷,可为相关农药的研发提供科学依据。     

Quantification of Anti‐Addictive Alkaloids Ibogaine and Voacangine in In Vivo‐ and In Vitro‐Grown Plants of Two Mexican Tabernaemontana Species

Tabernaemontana alba and Tabernaemontana arborea are Apocynaceae species used in Mexican traditional medicine for which little phytochemical information exists. In this study, preliminary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of different organs obtained from wild plants of both species identified a total of 10 monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) and one simple indole alkaloid, nine of which were reported for the first time in these species. Furthermore, callus cultures were established from T. alba leaf explants and regeneration of whole plants was accomplished via somatic embryogenesis. The anti‐addictive MIAs ibogaine and voacangine were then quantified by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection in wild plants of both species, as well as greenhouse‐grown plants, in vitro‐grown plantlets and embryogenic callus of T. alba. Ibogaine and voacangine were present in most samples taken from the whole plants of both species, with stem and root barks showing the highest concentrations. No alkaloids were detected in callus samples. It was concluded that T. alba and T. arborea are potentially viable sources of ibogaine and voacangine, and that these MIAs can be produced through somatic embryogenesis and whole plant regeneration of T. alba. Approaches to increase MIA yields in whole plants and to achieve alkaloid production directly in cell cultures are discussed.     

Synthesis of the Spirosuccinimide Moiety of Asperparaline A

2,6,6-Trimethyl-2-azaspiro[4.4]nonane-1,3-dione (9), a spirosuccinimide moiety of asperparaline A (1), was synthesized by starting from 2,2-dimethylcyclopentanone (4) via trinitrile 6 in five steps in a moderate yield. This conversion establishes a model study for synthesis of the spirosuccinimide moiety of asperparaline A (1).     

微波辅助提取荷叶生物碱条件的优化

对荷叶中主要生理活性物质生物碱的提取条件进行了初步研究,以稀盐酸水为溶剂结合微波照射浸渍提取,获得了较优化的提取工艺,即用pH2.5 HCl、微波辅助处理2.5 min、固液比1:40、提取温度90℃、提取时间3 h,可得荷叶生物碱量172.63μg.g-1。     

Echitoserpidine: A new alkaloid of the fruits of Alstonia venenata

The structure of echitoserpidine, a new alkaloid of the fruits of Alstonia venenata has been established as (1) on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence.