Quantitative Evaluation of a Mexican and a Ghanaian Tabernaemontana Species as Alternatives to Voacanga africana for the Production of Antiaddictive Ibogan Type Alkaloids.
Chemistry & biodiversity – May 01, 2020
Source: PubMed
Summary
A Mexican tree species offers a promising new source for anti-addiction compounds. Researchers applied phytochemistry to compare the alkaloid profiles of *Tabernaemontana arborea* from Mexico and *Tabernaemontana crassa* from Ghana with *Voacanga africana*, a primary source of anti-addictive ibogan type alkaloids. The findings show *T. arborea* bark closely resembles *V. africana*, making it a valuable alternative for compounds like voacangine and ibogaine. *T. crassa* (Apocynaceae) also shows potential for producing similar beneficial alkaloids.
Abstract
In continuation of our efforts to provide quantitative information on antiaddictive ibogan type alkaloid-producing Tabernaemontana species, we used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to compare the alkaloid profiles of the barks and/or leaves of one Mexican and one African species - T. arborea and T. crassa, respectively, with the primary sources of commercially available semisynthetic ibogaine, Voacanga africana root and stem bark. The qualitative and quantitative similarities between T. arborea and V. africana barks consolidate previous reports regarding the potential of the former as a promising alternative source of voacangine and ibogaine. The results also suggest that T. crassa could be used to produce conopharyngine and ibogaline, two compounds with the same basic skeletal structure and possibly similar antiaddictive properties as ibogaine.