Picrasma Pentaceras and Carboline Alkaloids

These types of alkaloids are not of monoterpenoid origin. Plants of the Simaroubaceae family are trees that grow mainly in tropical and, to some extent, subtropical countries. Picrasma quassioides is a Japanese deciduous tree its heartwood contains quassin, tannin, and nigakinone, and is used as a bitter 

Stomachic. 4,5-Dimethoxycaiithin-6-one and related compounds have been isolated (74, 117). This plant also contains many )ff-carboline derivatives (117). 

Ailanthus altissima is a tall deciduous tree of Chinese origin. A study of the wood extractives has revealed the presence of three alkaloids canthin-6-one, can-thin-6-one-3-oxide, and l-methoxycanthin-6-one (118). Another member of the same family, Simarouba amara, contains 5-hydroxycanthine-6-one (93). The root bark of Ailanthus excelsa contains four canthine derivatives canthin-6-one, 1 -methoxycanthin-6-one, 5-methoxycanthin-6-one, and 8-hydroxanthin-6-one (27). 

Ailanthus malabarica is a tall deciduous tree of Indian origin, cultivated in north Malaya. Its bark has been used as an incense. Several simple )ff-carboline derivatives occur in the bark and roots of this tree, but canthines have not been detected (84). 

1-methoxycarbonyl- /3-carboline 4-methoxy-l-vinyl- / -carboline crenatidine crenatine 

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