Chelirubine from sanguinarine

Figure 11.28 shows densitograms from the separation of Chelidonium majus quaternary alkaloids [114]. It is clearly apparent that multiple development results in better separation of the component bands. Threefold development results in separation or partial separation of eight alkaloid bands (Figure 11.28b), whereas after one run, only four zones — chelirubine, sanguinarine, chelilutine, and chelerithrine... 

The second-richest QBA source is Dicranostigma lactucoides Hook. f. et Thoms., a biennial herb native to the subtropical region of the eastern Himalayas. The QBA content in the roots usually varies from 1.4 to 1.8% [58-60] and can reach up to 3.4% according to recent HPLC studies. In contrast to S. canadensis, the major component of the total QBA is chele-rythrine (71%), and there are smaller amounts of sanguinarine (21%) and chelirubine (1%) [58], The other members of the genus Dicranostigma, i.e. D. franchetianum (Prain) Fedde and D. leptopodum (Maxim.) Fedde, exhibit lower contents of QBA [59]. 

The species of the genus Macleaya, namely M. cordata and M. micro-carpa, perennial herbs from the Far East, are used in Russia as a source of the natural mixture of sanguinarine and chelerythrine (called sanguiritrine), that has been introduced into medicine for the treatment of various diseases. The content of QBA in the leaves ofM microcarpa has been found to be unusually high, up to 1.97% [66], The QBA contents in M. microcarpa and M. cordata cultivated in central Europe [37,38] are considerably lower. Similar low yields have been found by Bulgarian, Japanese, and Russian authors [5,6], Chelirubine, chelilutine, and macarpine have also been isolated from Macleaya species [37,38], The alkaloid bocconine [35], isolated from M. cordata (invalid synonym Bocconia cordata Willd.) in 1965, is identical to chelirubine [34], described for the first time in 1954 [30],... 

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