Two Alkaloids from Ephedra aphylla growing in Egypt

Abstract

The aerial parts of Ephedra aphylla afforded two alkaloids belonging to two different classes. The first alkaloid, ephedradine C, belonging to the spermine alkaloid, a group characterized by its hypotensive effect. The other alkaloid, hordenine is a phenylalkylamine alkaloid isolated for the first time from Ephedra Species. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and the assignment of some carbons in ephedradine C was achieved based on 2 D-NMR experiments.