The tertiary bases from a sample of Strychnos nux-vomica contain, as well as the expected strychnine and brucine, an unusually high proportion of 4-hydroxy and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy compounds. The biosynthetic implications of the isolation of a new alkaloid, 12β,13α-dihydro-12α-hydroxyisostrychnine, named protostrychnine, are discussed. © 1979.