Quaternary Isoquinoline Alkaloids and Some Diterpenoid Alkaloids in Plants of the Czech Republic

Abstract

The root bark and the stem bark of Berberis vulgaris L. (16.2 and 6.0 wt.% of total alkaloids) yielded berberine (IIa), magnoflorine (I) and jatrorrhizine (IIc) as major quaternary alkaloids along with small quantities of palmatine (IIb) and alkaloid BV 1. Oxyacanthine and berbamine were separated from the non-quaternary fraction. Isocorydine was the main alkaloid in the leaves. Magnoflorine was also isolated from the stem bark and twigs of Magnolia x soulangeana SOULANGE-BODIN, M. x speciosa REICHENB., and M. kobus DC., from the tubers of Aconitum firmum REICHENB., and from the roots of Clematis recta L. (iodide, 0.52 wt.%). Small amounts of magnoflorine were detected in Magnolia x soulangeana cv. Alexandrina and cv. Norbertiana, in Aconitum callibotryon REICHENB., in the roots of A. vulparia REINCHENB., and in Actaea spicata L. In Aconitum firmum, A. callibotryon, A. vulparia, Clematis recta and Actaea spicata, the presence of corytuberine was also demonstrated. From the tubers of Aconitum firmum (0.97 wt.% of total bases), hypaconitine (IIIb) was separated as the major alkaloid accompanied with small amounts of aconitine (IIIa), mesaconitine (IIIc), and deoxyaconitine (IIId). In A. callibotryon, mesaconitine and an unidentified alkaloid were found as the dominant basic components together with small quantities of aconitine and hypaconitine.