Croton genera

As part of an extensive chemical investigation of the Croton genus (see Section 3D), Croton humilis has been examined and shown to contain jV-methyltyramine... 

The bicyclic labdanoid diterpenes are characteristic of the bark and needle resins of the Pinaceae, whereas tricyclic types (especially the abietanes and pimaranes) dominate in the wood resin (Croteau and Johnson, 1985) (Fig. 22.10). Highly oxygenated derivatives of the labdane series are widespread in the Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Verbenaceae, and in the genus Croton of the Euphorbiaceae. 

Scoulerine, also known as discretamine and aequaline, is an alkaloid found in the opium poppy, Croton flavens, and certain plants in the Erythrina genus. Studies show that scoulerine is an antagonist at the a2-adrenoceptor, alD-adrenoceptor, and 5-HT receptor. It has also been found to be a GABAA receptor agonist. 

The bark of Croton eluteria (Euphorbiaceae) yields, on steam distillation, cascarilla essential oil which is used as a tonic. The main component of the acid fraction of this oil is cascarillic acid ([aJo -10.5°, methyl ester), a cyclopropane carboxylic acid (123) (79). The stereochemistry of the cyclopropane ring was established as trans by comparing H-NMR spectra and retention times on gas chromatograms of methyl esters of the synthetic trans- and cw-isomers with those of the natural compound (147). It is interesting that compounds with closely related structures have been found in an algae and in an insect. Dictyopterene A (124) was isolated from the essential oil of algae of the genus Dictyopteris (77) and (Z)-3-decenoic acid from carpet beetle, Anthrenus flavipes, as a sex pheromone (41). 

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