Phytochemical analysis of alkaloids from the Chilean endemic tree Cryptocarya alba

Abstract

A phytochemical study of the roots and aerial parts of Cryptocarya alba (Mol.) Looser (Lauraceae), an endemic Chilean tree and the southernmost Cryptocarya species, led for the first time to the isolation and unambiguous characterization of four known alkaloids by NMR techniques: boldine, laurolitsine, laurotetanine and norglaucine, in addition to the previously identified reticuline, and the identification via UHPLC-MS of seven more alkaloids, coclaurine, N-methylcoclaurine, norreticuline, isocorydine, N-methyllaurotetanine, predicentrine and glaucine. In spite of this fairly broad variety of benzyltetrahydroisoquinolines and aporphines, the concentrations of these alkaloids in the different organs of C. alba are quite low, which is in contrast with the sometimes generous yields of alkaloids in this genus.