Apocynaceae family

Figure 2. The most isolated iridoids of Apocynaceae family...

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. 

And there are many plants in the Apocynaceae family that carry fascinat-... 

A characteristic of the genera Callichilia, Conopharyngia, Gabunia, Stemmadenia, Tabernaemontana, and Voacanga of the Apocynaceae family is the presence of bisindole alkaloids of the voacamine type, the prototype of this group being voacamine itself. All these alkaloids are composed of a vobasine-like [vobasine,... 

Leaving aside the very important discovery of the amino-glyco-steroids, the study of further plants of the Apocynaceae family has led to the isolation of bases showing only a few modifications in previously established structures. 

Alkaloids containing a pyrido[4,3-b]carbazole skeleton have been isolated from several genera of the Apocynaceae family (Figure 2). The interaction with DNA and the anti-tumoral activity of ellipticine (5) and olivacine have attracted enormous attention. The chemistry of the pyrido [4,3-b] carbazoles has recently been reviewed " and will not be discussed in this treatise. 

Catharanthus is a perennial plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family and comprises eight species, seven endemic to Madagascar (C. coriaceus, C. lanceus, C. longifolius, C. ovalis, C. roseus, C. scitulus, C. trichophyllus), and one, C. pusillus, from India. Specifically, C. roseus has been extensively cultivated in subtropical and tropical areas of the world [1] as an ornamental plant and now has a pantropical distribution. It is naturalized in continental Africa, the North and South America, Asia, Australia and southern Europe, and on some islands in the Pacific Ocean. Today, more than 100 cultivars are commercially available. 

Vincamine is extracted from the leaves of Vinca minor belonging to Apocynaceae family, known as lesser periwinkle native to central and southern Europe. A closely related semisynthetic derivative of vincamine most widely used as medicine is known as ethyl-apovincaminate or vinpocetine [16-19] (Fig. 20.5f). 

The alkaloid reserpine is obtained naturally from the rhizome and roots of Rauwol-fia spp. Rauwolfia serpentina is a small shrub belonging to Apocynaceae family and found in India, Burma, Java, and Thailand. Rauwolfia vomitoria is widely grown in Congo, Africa, and contains more than twice quantity of reserpine. Ninety percent of reserpine is present in the roots and only 10 % in the stem and leaves [107] (Fig. 20.7a). 

Methyl ethers of several cyclitols occur as secondary substances in many higher plants. Attempts to use their occurrence for chemical taxonomy have been made (137). Sequoyitol (5-O-methyl-myo-inositol) is found in all families of gym-nosperms, and only in gymnosperms, although its distribution appears to be sporadic (137). It has been found in wood, bark, and cambial sap (114). D-Bornesitol (1-O-methyl-myo-inositol) is present in the latex of trees in the Apocynaceae family and in the wood of Sarcocephalus diderrichii (see 137). Dambonitol (1,3-di-O-methyl-myo-inositol) has been found in Gabon (Castilloa elastica) rubber latex (see 137). 

Cchrosia and Excavatia sp, - A considerable amount of work Fa s BVeri aire et s a to iTara other plants of the Apocynaceae family and two of the more promising alkaloids isolated from several species are ellipticlne (VII) and 9-methoxyellipticine... 

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