The new alkaloid komavicine has been isolated from the epigeal part of Nitraria komarovii, and its structure has been established on the basis of spectral characteristics and chemical transformations. The products of the dehydrogenation of nitrarine with selenium and sulfur have been studied. A method has been developed for the dehydrogenation of dihydro and tetrahydro derivatives in the quinolinyl-β-carboline series. © 1993 Plenum Publishing Corporation.