Apocynaceae alkaloids

Terpenoid alkaloids Apocynaceae Skytanthus acutus /3-skytanthin... 

The path from squalene (114) to the corresponding oxide and thence to lanosterol [79-63-0] (126), C qH qO, cholesterol [57-88-5] (127), and cycloartenol [469-38-5] (128) (Fig. 6) has been demonstrated in nonphotosynthetic organisms. It has not yet been demonstrated that there is an obligatory path paralleling the one known for generation of plant sterols despite the obvious stmctural relationships of, for example, cycloartenol (128), C qH qO, to cyclobuxine-D (129), C25H42N2O. The latter, obtained from the leaves of Buxus sempervirens E., has apparentiy found use medicinally for many disorders, from skin and venereal diseases to treatment of malaria and tuberculosis. In addition to cyclobuxine-D [2241-90-9] (129) from the Buxaceae, steroidal alkaloids are also found in the Solanaceae, Apocynaceae, and LiUaceae. 

Floriani has recently examined bark from Aspidosperma quebracho bianco Schlecht f. pendulas Speg, in which he found the known alkaloids, quebrachine (yohimbine) and aspidospermine, as well as Hesse s aspidosamine, C2gH2g02N2, and a new base, aspidospermicine, Ci Hj ON, l-SHjO (1938). Hartmann and Schlittler have shown that the alkaloid vallesine from Vallesia glabra (Apocynaceae) is aspidospermine, and this has been confirmed by Deulofeu et aJ. who have also found it in V. dichotoma. Later Schlittler and Rottenberg by chromatographic analysis of the mother liquors of aspidospermine isolated a second alkaloid for which they used the old name Vallesine (1948). ... 

This association of sempervirine with yohimbine is of biological interest since the former alkaloid is derived from a plant of the Loganiaceas in which alkaloids of the strychnos group seemed to be characteristic, whereas the yohimbine group of alkaloids have so far only been found in the Apocynaceae and Rubiace c. 

Such alkaloids can be found particularly in the Myristicaceae, Malpighiaceae, Rutaceae, Apocynaceae, Rubiaceae, Loganiaceae, and Convolvulaceae. Such compounds are also found in mushrooms from the genera Conocybe, Panaeolus, Psilocybe, and Stropharia (Agaricaceae), which where used by the Aztecs of pre-Columbian America for their psilocin. 

Most botanists divide the plant family Apocynaceae into three subfamilies Plumerioideae, Cerberoideae, and Echitoideae. Alkaloids have been isolated from species belonging to all of these subfamilies however, indole alkaloids have been found only in the Plumerioideae. This subfamily is further divided into seven tribes, and indole alkaloids are present only in four of these, namely, Carisseae, Tabemaemontaneae, Alstonieae (Plumerieae), and Rau-wolfieae. 

Apochromatic objectives, 16 471 Apocynaceae, alkaloids in, 2 75 Apodization process, 14 227 apo E gene, and LDL level, 5 136 Apoglucose oxidase (apo-GOD), 14 148 Apolipoprotein B deficiencies, 17 652 Apparel, nylon, 19 766 Apparent bypass... 

Some plant families are especially rich in alkaloids. The Dogbane botanical family (Apocynaceae Lindl., Juss.) is a good example (Table 2). This family is distributed worldwide, especially in tropical and sub-tropical areas. The Dogbane family is a large botanical taxa containing at least 150 genera and 1700 species. Alkaloids are especially abundant in the following... 

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids differential acquisition and use patterns in Apocynaceae and Solanaceae feeding ithomiine butterflies (Lepidoptera Nymphalidae). Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society 58 99-123. 

And there are many plants in the Apocynaceae family that carry fascinating alkaloids that are closely related in structure to ibogaine and which, potentially, might have a similar psychopharmacology. In most of these, ibogaine is present in very small amounts, if any at all. 

Steroidal Alkaloids of the Apocynaceae and Buxaceae and Related Compounds , F. Khuong-Huu and R. Goutarel, in Alkaloids , ed. M. F. Grundon, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, 1977, vol. 7, pp. 268-288. 

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