Alkaloids of <i>Rhazya stricta</i> Decaisne: Studies on Rhazinaline and Geissoschizine

Abstract

Abstract Chemical investigation of the basic principles of the leaves of Rhazya stricta Decaisne led to the isolation of a number of indolic bases. The studies on two of these, viz., rhazinaline and geissoschizine are described. Rhazinaline, a new alkaloid, has been characterised as 16-formyl-16-epistrictamine. A detailed spectroscopical study of geissoschizine, which had not been previously isolated from a plant source, was carried out confirming the previous structural assignment. The isolation of this alkaloid from a plant source is important from a biogenetic viewpoint, since geissoschizine is one of the key preformed intermediates in the biosynthesis of C19–C20 indole alkaloids.