GC/MS Examination of Lycopodium Extracts for Alkaloid Content

Abstract

<p>Plants of the Lycopodium species have long been known to elaborate alkaloids. Over one hundred alkaloids have been isolated from these plants, but no efficient method exists to quickly screen plants to determine their alkaloid content. In this research it has been found that gas chromatography mass spectrometry. (GC/MS) is a suitable method to achieve this purpose. Seven species of Lycopodium were examined; L. australianum, L. scariosum, L. fastigiatum, L. deuterodensum, L. clavatum var.borbonicum, L. flabelliforme and L. Jucidulum, of these L. australianum, L. scariosum and L. fastigiatum have been examined for the first time in this research. New alkaloids were found in some of the species examined. Two new alkaloids, des-N-methylfastigiatine and fastigiatine, were isolated from L. fastigiatium and their structures determined by X-ray analysis. Since these alkaloids represent a new ring system extensive mass spectrometric and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments were undertaken.</p> <p>A data base of the mass spectra of known Lycopodium alkaloids was compiled and found to be useful in computer searches of GC/MS data for the identification of known alkaloids. Chemical ionization mass spectrometry with methane as the reagent gas was found to provide information on some of the functional groups present in the Lycopodium alkaloids.</p>