A New Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid from Senecio vulgaris

摘要

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are hepatotoxins found in a wide variety of plant species, especially Senecio (Asteraceae), Crotalaria (Leguminaceae), Heliotroprium, Trichodesma and Symphytum (Boraginaceae). They have received extensive chemical and biological investigations because they presumably serve as protective chemicals for the plants and they are the cause of considerable poisoning of liverstock. As the most characteristic secondary metabolites of Senecio species, large numbers of pyrrrolizidine alkaloids have been isolated from this genus. Senecio vulgaris Linn., a widespread problematic weed (e.g., in fruit orchard, vegetable garden and lawn),origi-nally grows in Europe and was introduced to most area of the world in nineteenth century. The pyrrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) of Senecio vulgaris have been investigated extensively. In the course of our phytochemical investigations of Senecio species distributing in northeast China, a new pyrrolizidine alkaloid, named as vulgarine (1), and a known one, senecionine (2), have been isolated from the less polar extracts of Senecio vulgaris. This paper deals with the isolation and structure elucidation of the new pyrrolizidine alkaloid.