Strychnopentamine

Strychnopentamine is a new alkaloid found in Strychnos usambarensis leaves. It is the first alkaloid with five amines found in a Strychnos species; a methylpyrrolidinic group is joined to a bnzene ring of the corynane part of the molecule.Antimitotic activity tests were carried out on cultured HW165 hepatoma, B16 melanoma and Ehrlich ascites cells.Strychnopentamine was more active than other indole alkaloids isolated from the same species.Preliminary experiments were then undertaken to search for a possible antitumor activity in animals (Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in mice).At a single dose of 2mg, a very marked regression was obvious but mice showed signs of intoxication. Other experiments must be carried out , in order to establish a more exact structure-activity relationship and to discover less toxic substances.