Planta Med 1979; 37(10): 161-164
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1097317
Research Articles

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Nouveaux Alcaloïdes des Racines du Strychnos icaja

New Alkaloids from the Roots of Strychnos icajaK. Kambu1 , C. Coune2 , L. Angenot2
  • 1Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Faculté de Pharmacie (UNAZA), Kinshasa, Zaïre.
  • 2Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Institut de Pharmacie, Université de Liège, Belgique.
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
13 January 2009 (online)

Abstract

Strychnos icaja roots are used in Central Africa for the preparation of arrow and ordeal poisons. Amongst the very numerous bases present in these roots, we have isolated and identified six alkaloids. Apart from strychnine, we have obtained three alkaloids previously detected in the leaves: icajine, 19,20 α–epoxynovacine and 19,20 α–epoxy–15–hydroxynovacine. Moreover we have extracted dimeric alkaloids: symmetrical (bisnordihydrotoxiferine) as well as a new unsymmetrical one (sungucine). Finally, it has been shown that the plant contained also various quaternary alkaloids and particularly Nb–methylstrychninium base which has been found for the first time. Phytochemical and pharmacological experiments are still under study.