Alkaloid screening of herbarium samples of rubiaceae from Panama

Abstract

In an effort to study plants of the Rubiaceae from Panama, 299 herbarium samples, representing 133 species, were subjected to alkaloid screening. From this total, 234 samples (78%) afforded a positive test for alkaloids, and 99 samples (33%) gave a positive reaction for indole alkaloids; 109 species (82%) contain alkaloids and 58 (44%) produce indole alkaloids. This is the first time that 102 (94%) and 52 (90%) species are reported as alkaloid and indole alkaloid bearing, respectively. The results of 10 out of 15 species, that is 67%, corroborate earlier studies. The richest indole alkaloid species were: Hamelia patens, Hamelia xerocarpa, Hoffmannia morii, Hoffmannia unguis-canceris, Deppea grandiflora, Elaeagia nitidifolia, Rondeletia secunda, Simira maxonii, Uncaria tomentosa, Gonzalagunia rosea, Isertia haenkeana, Isertia laevis, Posoqueria latifolia and Cinchona pubescens.