QUINOLIZIDINE ALKALOID PROFILES OF RETAMA RAETAM, R-SPHAEROCARPA AND R-MONOSPERMA

About 28 quinolizidine alkaloids and the dipiperidine alkaloids ammode ndrine, dehydroammodendrine and N-formylammodendrine were identified i n the alkaloidal extracts of Retama raetam, Retama sphaerocarpa and Re tama monosperma by capillary GLC and GLC-MS. Alkaloid profiles of the three Retama species with a Mediterranean distribution are more simila r than alkaloid patterns of different organs of the same plant. Wherea s sparteine and retamine are the major components of stems, lupanine, retamine, N-methylcytisine and cytisine dominate in flowers and pods, and cytisine in seeds indicating a high degree of organ specificity of alkaloid storage.