684. Curare alkaloids. Part X. Some alkaloids of Strychnos toxifera Rob. Schomb

Journal of the Chemical Society (Resumed)
1949.0

Abstract

The object of this investigation was the isolation of the alkaloids of Strychnos toxifera as this liane is the source of the renowned calabash-curare of British Guiana. By chromatography of the less soluble reineckates twelve crystalline quaternary salts, toxiferines-I to -XII have been obtained, two as the chlorides, and the remainder as picrates. Toxiferine-I chloride, an extremely potent curarising agent, was identical with the toxiferine-I chloride of Wieland, Bähr, and Witkop. Toxiferine-II picrate of these investigators was also encountered, the remaining ten toxiferines being apparently new. The curarising activity of some of these is comparable with that of toxiferine-I chloride. The neutral substance C21H25O3N 3 found by the above-named investigators in calabash-curare from Venezuela has now been found in St. toxifera. The striking colour reactions of these alkaloids suggests that they are all derived biogenetically from tryptophan.

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