ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF 4 NORDITERPENOID ALKALOIDS FROM PROCESSED AND UNPROCESSED ROOT TUBERS OF ACONITUM-FEROX

From Ayurvedic processed and unprocessed root tubers of Aconitum ferox (Ranunculaceae) of commerce four norditerpenoid alkaloids, bikhaconitine [1], pseudaconitine [2], veratroylbikhaconine [3], and veratroylpseudaconine [4], were isolated. H-1, C-13, H,H-COSY, CH-HETCOR, and homonuclear decoupling nmr studies of 3 and 4 led to the assignment of all proton signals of compounds 1-4, as well as of aconitine [5] and benzoylaconine [6]. The yield of alkaloids of the Ayurvedic processed tubers amounts to about 40% of the unprocessed tubers.