Occurrence and General History

Channaine and Other Alkaloids with Undetermined Structures.. 478 

The mesembrine alkaloids, a group of alkaloids named after the most important representative, mesembrine, have been studied in detail only recently. The basic skeleton of these alkaloids is formed by mesembrane (I), an A -methyl-3a-(3, 4 -dimethoxyphenyl)-d5-octahydroindole. The mesembrine alkaloids are closely related to the 5,10b-ethanophenan-thridine group of the Amaryllidaceae alkaloids which are derived from crinane (II). 

The mesembrine alkaloids were discovered in a drug preparation that was named Channa or Koegoed by the bushman of Namaqualand 1-3). 

The drug is obtained by fermentation ivomSceletium species (Ficoidaceae) growing in the southwest Cape province. Channa is considered a favorite stimulant of the natives of South-west Africa. When chewed, the drug is said to have a narcotic and in some respects a cocaine-like eifect (4). 

Physical Constants of Alkaloids Isolated from Channa 

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