Zanthoxylum rhetsa

Evodia rutaecarpa Hook. f. Thoms. (10, 111) Zanthoxylum rhetsa DC. (39, 39a, 70, 226) Adhatoda vasica Nees (95)... 

Rhetsinine is a yellow alkaloid isolated from the bark of Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Rutaceae) [12] and the fruits of E. rutaecarpa [11]. It appeared to be a biosynthetic precursor of evodiamine, and its existence in the plant was doubtful. Yamazaki and Kawana [11] reported that rhetsinine was obtained by illuminating a dioxane solution of evodiamine for a short time. 

Cineole, 13, is a natural herbicide [73]. Its hydroxy derivative 14 (2-hydroxy-1,4-cineole 1,4-epoxy-p-menthane-2-ol) is a constituent of oil from rhizomes of Ferula jaeschkeana [74]. Its 2-methylbenzyl ether 15 (cinmethylin) is a preemergence grass herbicide [75, 76]. Alcohol 14 can be prepared by microbial hydroxy-lation of 13 [77]. This also produces ketone 16 and its enantiomer [78]. The fragrance of ketone 16 and isomeric l-isopropyl-4-methyl- 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1] heptan-2-one is very similar to that of 14 and menthone [79]. Mullilam diol 17, a dihydroxy derivative of 13, has been isolated from Zanthoxylum rhetsa, a plant that exhibits antibiotic activity which is prescribed in dyspepsia and diarrhea. The eight-carbon system rengyoxide has been found in Forsythia suspensa fruits [80] (Fig. 4). 

---