PYRROLIZIDINE ALKALOIDS FROM MIDDLE EASTERN PLANTS

The pyrrolizidine alkaloids, echinatine (6), and heliosupine (5) were isolated from Cynoglossum creticum; monocrotaline (10) and crosemperine (11) were isolated from Crotalaria aegypiiaca; heliotrine (4), lasiocarpine (2), and europine (3) were isolated from Heliotropium arbainense; and lasiocarpine (2) has been identified as a minor component of the previously investigated H. maris mortui (1). Trichodesma africana was found to contain europine (3) and intermedine (13) as major components and several unidentified alkaloids in small amounts. An X-ray structure was done on heliotrine (4). Detailed and 13C nmr spectra of a number of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids are presented for the first time. Echinatine X-oxide and europine X-oxide show similar activity to that previously reported for indicine X-oxide (12) (2) against P 3S8 lymphocytic leukemia tumors. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.