The 2-pyrrolidineacetic acid has already been found in Nicotiana tabacum (4) and was synthesized by Cassal et al. (5). It is speculated that the N-methyl derivative of Ia may be an intermediate in the biosynthesis of cocaine (6). The simultaneous occurrence of 2-pyrrolidineacetic acid and the four isomeric pyrrolizidinic acids (2a—5a) leads to the assumption that Ia could be an intermediate in the biosynthesis of these untypical pyrrolizidine alkaloids bearing a methyl group at C-2. The Aconitum genus (Ranunculaceae) is a rich source of diterpenoid alkaloids based on a hexacyclic C19 skeleton of the aconitine-type (1, 2). The roots of these plants are used in Oriental medicine in the treatment of rheumatism and neuralgia (3). Aconitine derivatives are also used as inflammation inhibitors (4). We are at present characterizing two alkaloids from fresh organs of Aconitum napellus L. samples. These compounds were extracted with an acidic aqueous solution (0.1 N HCl) and then with chloroform, separated, and collected by RP-HPLC. The MS (FAB) data suggested that one of these could be an acetyl derivative of aconitine (Mr = 688) and the other one a dehydroxyaconitine (Mr = 629) (5). The 1H-NMR analyses revealed the presence of a lipidic component in the typical zone at 1.5—3 ppm, detectable also after purification using silica gel column chromatography and an HPLC-DIOL column. These data might be explained by supposing the presence of lipoalkaloids, as reported for Japanese Aconitum species (6, 7). Therefore the extraction procedure was modified in order to separate the acetylbenzoylaconines from those in lipidic form. The aqueous acidic extract was washed with petroleum ether 30—50°C to afford the lipid fraction and then extracted with chloroform to obtain the alkaloids. The petroleum ether fraction was subjected to transesterification with 3% HCl in MeOH at 80°C overnight. The fatty acid methyl esters were removed by extraction with benzene : n-hexane 30:70 (v/v); in the methanolic solution we detected diterpenic alkaloids after extraction with CHCl3. The RP-HPLC analysis revealed the presence of the compounds with M = 688 and M = 629, and of aconitine. Our results show that diterpenic alkaloids are present also in the petroleum ether fraction, so indicating that these compounds could be present in a highly lipophilic form. The genus of Ephedra (Ephedraceae) is represented by three species (F. major Host, F. distachya L., and F. campylopoda C. A. Meyer) in Turkey (1). In this study, the morphological and anatomical features of Ephedra species were revised and we have tried to show morphological differences. The colour and thickness of the branches, shape and size of leaf-sheaths, differences in male and female inflorescences, fruits, and seeds were compared. Anatomical features of the branches of these species are as follows: Mesocortical and pericyclic fibers are not lignified and epidermis is in two rows in F. campylopoda; the ribs are distinct and epidermis is strongly papillate in F. distachya and F. campylopoda but not so in F. major. The alkaloids were extracted from aerial green parts of the air-dried materials. Total alkaloid amounts were determined by a titrimetric method in all species that were collected in August and found as 0.69% in F. major, 0.35% in F. distachya, and 0.14% in F. campylopoda. The monthly changes of the total alkaloids amount in F. major from March to August were found as 0.62, 0.65, 0.55, 0.56, 0.63, and 0.69% respectively. The main alkaloids of Ephedra species were identified by RP-HPLC.