The biosynthesis of three macrocyclic pyrrolizidine alkaloids retrorsine, seneciphylline and senecionine using <i>senecio vulgaris</i>

Abstract

Abstract Senecio vulgaris , a plant containing 3 macrocyclic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) was grown under atmospheric CO 2 , 14 CO 2 , and 13 CO 2 conditions. This report describes the plant growth chamber, the growing conditions the plants were subjected to and the amounts of macrocyclic PAs isolated from the plants. In addition, a number of radiolabelled experiments are described including a single 25 mCi pulse 14 CO 2 experiment, a dual 13 ,· 14 CO 2 experiment and an 800 mCi Pyrrolizidine Alkalolids 14 CO 2 experiment. The 14 C labelled macrocyclic PAs isolated from these experiments (retrorsine, seneciphylline and senecionine) are presently being used in various metabolism studies.