THE ALKALOIDS OF LYCOPODIUM SPECIES: I. LYCOPODIUM COMPLANATUM L.

Abstract

Lycopodium complanatum L. has yielded a total of eight alkaloids, six of which appear to be new. They are complanatine (L1) (C18H31ON); alkaloid L2 (C18H29O2N); alkaloid L3 (C18H31O2N); alkaloid L4 (C16H27N); alkaloid L5 (C18H28O2N2); obscurine (L6) (C18H28ON2); the known lycopodine (C16H25ON); and nicotine. It is pointed out that this is the first recorded occurrence of nicotine in a pteridophyte. The isolation of nicotine from Equisetum arvense L. is also recorded.