Lycopersicum alkaloids

Among the well-known Solanum species that have been chemically examined are S. nigrum, S. tuberosum (potato) and S. lycopersicum (tomato). From these and other species an alkaloidal glucoside, which was first prepared by Desfosses, has been obtained. This substance has been named solan ine, but it is not certain that all the plants recorded as containing solanine contain the same solanine or that the alkaloid has been obtained in a pure state in each case. 

N. tabacum Lycopersicum esculentum nicotine/solanine a) New growth free of nicotine. Amount originally present remained at base. a) Alkaloid present apparently not nicotine. 74... 

It is probable that the difference between Strasburger and his followers was one of degree rather than kind. The mydriatic test for tropane alkaloids may be so carried out as to be highly sensitive, and may not be entirely specific. It has even been reported that the eating of leaves from normal potato plants may cause dilation of the pupil (71). In the more recent grafts of Atropa belladonna upon Lycopersicum esculentum Mill., made by Hieke (72), barely detectable quantities of mydriatics were found in the tomato stocks. The correct statement of these results seems to be that only traces of the alkaloids were to be found in the potato and tomato stocks. 

CAL is a tetrahydro-jS-carboline. It was isolated from the red algae, Callophycus oppositifolius [45]. The similar steroidal alkaloid was found in tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) [46]. 

For further alkaloids from S. lycopersicum (A-nitrosotomatidine), S. pimpinelli-folium (pimpifoUdines), and unique steroidal alkamines from the hybrid S. lycopersicum X S. hirsutum see Table 7.3. These metabolites may represent autapomorphic characters. 

Alkaloid Production in Tissue Cultures It was thought that tissue cultures derived from various parts of whole plants would be an ideal system in which to study alkaloid biosynthesis, since sterile conditions and uniform conditions of growth are readily maintained. However, work in this area has been disappointing. In general, tissue cultures produce much less alkaloid than an intact plant, or intact organs. For example, cultures of excised roots of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) synthesized the steroidal alkaloid tomatine however, the amount produced was 40 times less than that found in the intact seedling radicles. The addition of established precursors... 

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