CONSTITUENTS FROM GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE LEAVES .2. NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS

The leaves of Gymnema sylvestre were examined for the presence of alkaloids through the establishment of quaternary and nonquaternary nitrogenous fractions. A trace amount of an alkaloidal substance was isolated from a nonphenolic nonquater-nary fraction and partially characterized. The plant bases choline, betaine, and adenine were isolated and identified in a combined yield of 0.04% and would appear to be primarily responsible for the positive alkaloid tests previously reported for the leaves. The amino acids leucine, isoleucine, valine, alanine and gamma-amino-n-butyric acid were also detected. Of particular interest was the isolation (0.0003% of leaf) and firm identification of trimethylamine oxide which has not been previously reported in plant material.