ISOLATION OF BIOACTIVE AND OTHER OXOAPORPHINE ALKALOIDS FROM 2 ANNONACEOUS PLANTS, XYLOPIA-AETHIOPICA AND MILIUSA CF BANACEA

The oxoaporphine alkaloids oxophoebine [1) and liriodenine [2] have be en isolated from Xylopia aethiopica (Annonaceae). Both showed selectiv e toxicity against DNA repair and recombination deficient mutants of t he yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three related but inactive compound s, oxoglaucine [3], O-methylmoschatoline [4], and lysicamine [5], were also isolated from this plant. Selective toxicity was also observed f or 10-methoxyliriodenine (lauterine) [6] and 10-hydroxyliriodenine [7] , two oxoaporphine alkaloids isolated from Miliusa cf. banacea (Annona ceae). The structure of 10-hydroxylitiodenine [7], a novel oxoaporphin e, was determined by spectroscopic methods and chemical conversion to compound 6. The role of the bioactive oxoaporphine alkaloids as DNA to poisomerase inhibitors is discussed.