PURIFICATION OF PTAQUILOSIDE, A CARCINOGEN FROM PTERIDIUM-AQUILINUM

Ptaquiloside, the major carcinogen of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinu m), was isolated in high yield from milled freeze-dried plant material . Because the compound is unstable, a new method was devised to avoid steps which caused loss of activity. Modern multipulse and 2D NMR tech niques allowed confirmation of the previously proposed structure, alth ough some assignments were shown to be incorrect.