New Compounds from Rhodiola Kirilowii

Five compounds were isolated from root extracts of Rhodiola kirilowii: arbutin, epigallocatechin gallate, rhodiocyanoside A, fructopyrano-(1-4)-glucopyranose and lotaustralin. The first four compounds were found in this plant for the first time. Lotaustralin, salidroside, daucosterol and tyrosol were already described to be contained. Especially salidroside (as a Rhodiola marker compound) could not be detected in our samples. The structures were established by NMR studies

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids from Ligularia sibirica Cass. and Tephroseris integrifolia L.

Tussilagine, isotussilagine, neo-tussilagine and neo-isotussilagine were isolated from Ligularia sibirica whereas Tephroseris integrifolia was found to contain senkirkine, otosenine, hydroxysenkirkine and 07-angeloylheliotridine. The structures were determined using spectroscopical methods (GC-MS; NMR)

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Senecio nemorensis L. from Mongolia

We isolated four Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids (PA) from Senecio nemorensis L. growing in Mongolia. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods to be 7-Senecioyl-9-sarracinoyl-retronecine, Retroisosenine, Doriasenine and Bulgarsenine. The alkaloidal pattern is very similar to that of the European Senecio nemorensis L., ssp. nemorensis (Rchb.) Celak. The medicinal use of this plant or of preparations from it may be hazardous to human health because of the high PA level in the plant (≈ 0.1%) and the fact that three of the PA are known to have toxic side-effects

Pvrrolizidine Alkaloid Containina Plants Used in Mongolian Traditional Medicine: Lappula Myosotis Moench.

Lappula myosotis Moench. (Boraginaceae) is a plant growing wide-spread in the Mongolian Aimags Khubsgul, Khangai, Khentei, Mongol dahurica, Altai and Alasha Gobi [1]. From this plant four pyrrolizidine alkloids were isolated and their structures determined using spectroscopical methods: lycopsamine, intermedine and their acetylderivatives. This plant is used in the Mongolian traditional medicine externally but on account of its high level of alkaloids (~ 0.2%) the usage of L. myosotis may be hazardous for humans

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids : Structure and Toxicity

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids show only minor toxicity in their native state, but are metabolized in the human or animal organisms to carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic compounds, with the precise structure of these compounds being responsible for the metabolic toxification process. Therefore, to be able to evaluate the toxic potential of each alkaloid, it is essential to exactly know the structure of the respective compound. X-ray structure analysis is the appropriate method both for elucidating the structure and for determining other parameters, such as the lengths of the bonds that influence the metabolic process. This book describes the incidence and the process of the intoxication as well as the possibilities to how the substances may reach the organism. In addition, the compounds elucidated by X-ray structure analysis to date are shown in their three-dimensional structure and structure-toxicity relationships are discussed. Pyrrolizidinalkaloide weisen in nativem Zustand nur geringe Toxizität auf, werden jedoch zu kanzerogenen, teratogenen und mutagenen Verbindungen metabolisiert, wenn sie in den menschlichen oder tierischen Organismus gelangen. Der Verlauf dieser Toxifizierung hängt von der konkreten Struktur dieser Stoffe und weiteren Parametern ab. Zur Bestimmung dieser Faktoren stellt die Röntgenstrukturanalyse die geeignete Methode dar. Im vorliegenden Buch werden das Vorkommen, der Ablauf der Toxifizierung und die Möglichkeiten, wie die Stoffe in den Organismus gelangen können, beschrieben. Es werden die bislang durch Röntgenstrukturanalyse vermessenen Verbindungen in ihrer 3D-Struktur aufgeführt und Struktur-Toxizitätsbeziehungen diskutiert