POLYHYDROXYALKALOIDS IN THE AROID TRIBES NEPHTHYTIDEAE AND AGLAONEMATEAE - PHYTOCHEMICAL SUPPORT FOR AN INTERTRIBAL RELATIONSHIP

Using living and herbarium material, a survey of polyhydroxyalkaloids in species of 52 genera of Araceae revealed the presence of 2,5-dihydr oxymethyl-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine (DM DP) and alpha-homonojirimycin ( HNJ) in leaves of Nephthytis Schott, Anchomanes Schott, Pseudohydrosme Engl. (tribe Nephthytideae), Aglaonema Schott and Aglaodorum Engl. (t ribe Aglaonemateae). Levels were high in living plants, ranging from 0 .1 to 1% dry weight DMDP and 0.04 to 0.6% HNJ. Isomers of HNJ. such as alpha-3,4-di-epi-homonojirimycin. were also present in the five gener a. Seven of the eight Nephthytis species examined also contained deoxy mannojirimycin at levels, in fresh material, of 0.1-0.2% dry weight. L ower levels of DMDP (mean 0.009%) and HNJ (mean 0.002%) were detected in species of Amorphophallus Blume & Decne and Pseudodracontium N.E. B r. (tribe Thomsonieae). The similarity in polyhydroxyalkaloid chemistr y between Nephthytideae and Aglaonemateae concurs with recently publis hed chloroplast restriction site data in suggesting a relationship bet ween these tribes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.