title: Calystegines as chemotaxonomic markers in the Convolvulaceae.
abstract: An extended GC-MS study of 129 convolvulaceous species belonging to 29 genera (all 12 tribes) including the results of a previous survey (65 spp.) revealed the occurrence of one to six polyhydroxy alkaloids of the nortropane type (calystegines) in 62 species belonging to 22 genera of all tribes except the unique parasitic Cuscuteae. The large genus Ipomoea turned out to comprise calystegine-positive species in at least eight out of ten sections checked. The number of the calystegines used as reference compounds has been increased from seven (previous survey) to 11 (present study). Furthermore, the results concerning these additional four alkaloids could also be completed for all species of the previous survey. The plant material (epigeal vegetative parts and/or roots, flowers, fruits/seeds) was obtained from collections in the wild from a wide range of tropical, subtropical, and temperate locations of all continents as well as from cultivation in the greenhouse. All plant organs turned out to be potential locations for the occurrence of these metabolites though they are detectable often only in certain organs of a given species. Three genera (Cuscuta, Operculina, Polymeria) might have lost the ability to synthesize these plesiomorphic characters in the course of the evolution since the examination of several different organs and/or provenances of five species each failed to show calystegines as constituents. Nevertheless, the present data clearly demonstrate that the occurrence of calystegines is an almost consistent trait in the Convolvulaceae in principle, from basal to most advanced tribes.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmazie (Pharmazeutische Biologie), Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Strasse 2-4, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schimming
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jenett-Siems
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tofern-Reblin
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milson
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deroin
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: Eckart
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eich
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D027722:Convolvulaceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008745:Methylation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D014326:Tropanes
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D015415:Biomarkers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014326:Tropanes; C055033:calystegin