Planta Med. 1995 Jun; 61(3): 271-4.

Chemical and pharmacological characterization of Erythrophleum lasianthum alkaloids.

Verotta L, Aburjai T, Rogers CB, Dorigo P, Maragno I, Fraccarollo D, Santostasi G, Gaion RM, Floreani M, Carpenedo F.

Two alkaloids 1 and 2 were isolated from the seeds of Erythrophleum lasianthum. Their structures were assigned by spectroscopic and chemical means as 3 beta-hydroxynorerythrosuamine (1) and its 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2). In spontaneously beating atria, both compounds 1 and 2 showed a marked and concentration-dependent positive inotropic activity and a weak negative chronotropic activity. The positive inotropic effect induced by 1 and 2 was not modified by propranolol, prazosin, carbachol, and ranitidine plus pyrilamine. Both 1 and 2 were very active in inhibiting the Na+/K(+)-ATPase isolated from bovine cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles.