Macleaya microcarpa

Macaipine (15), a very rare hexasubstituted alkaloid, was first isolated from the roots of Macleaya microcarpa (Maxim) Fedde in 1955 with a yield of 0.002% [37] and later found in M. cordata (Willd.) P. Br. [38], Ch. majus [36,37], some Eschscholtzia ecies [7], Stylophorum diphyl-lum (Michx.) Nutt. [39], and S. lasiocarpum (Oliv.) Fedde [40]. The last-named plant is the best known source of this alkaloid (0.023%). In recent years, dihydromacarpine has been isolated from the cell cultures of Eschscholtzia califomica Chsm. [41,42]. 

Reports have appeared on t.l.c. methods of detection of benzophenanthridine alkaloids in Bocconia frutescens, Macleaya microcarpa, and M. cordata and in Fumaria capreolata. A colorimetric method of determining the alkaloids in B. cordata has been described. ... 

Rink E, Bohm H (1975) Conversion of reticuline into scoulerine by a cell free preparation from Macleaya microcarpa cell suspension cultures. FEBS Lett 49 396-399 Robinson R (1917) A theory of the mechanism of the phytochemical synthesis of certain alkaloids. J Chem Soc 876-899... 

Amann M, Nagakura N, Zenk MH (1984) (S>Tetrahydroprotoberberineoxidase, the final enzyme in protoberberine biosynthesis. Tetrahedron Lett 25 953-954 Berlin J, Forche E, Wray V, Hammer J, Hosel W (1983) Formation of benzophenanthridine alkaloids by suspension cultures of Eschscholtzia califomica, Z Naturforsch 38C 346-r352 Bohm H, Franke J (1982) Accumulation and excretion of alkaloids by Macleaya microcarpa cell cultures, I. Experiments on solid medium. Biochem Physiol Pflanz 177 345--356 Bohm H, Franke J, Lammel L (1980) Chelidonium mafus alkaloids. GDR Pat 143, 270 (Cl C12P17/00)... 

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