Ten species of Papaver (P. persicum, P. acrochaetum, P. armeniacum, P. curviscapum, P. glaucum, P. macrostomum, P. bornmuelleri, P. rhoeas, P. dubium, P. hybridum), two species of Glaucium (G. corniculatum, G. grandiflorum) and Roemeria hybrida, which are native to Iraq, have been examined for their alkaloid contents.

No abstract

No abstract

The continued use of the root of the African tree Rauwolfia vomitoria Af z. as a source of the alkaloid reserpine prompted the detailed investigation of related species which could occur either as substitutes or adulterants and could be potentially useful as sources of alkaloids. One such species indigenous to East Africa is Rauwolfia rosea K. S c h u m. This species, together with R. mannii S t a p f , R. fveussii K. S c h u m. and R. cardiocarpa K. S c h u m., was recorded in Supplement I of the Kew Index (1886-1895). R. cardiocarpa is now considered synonymous with R. mannii (F e u e 11, 1955) and it is conceded that R. preussii is also synonymous although no authentic specimens are available (B i s s e t , 1958). The confusion concerning the separate identities of these species is related to the original morphological basis of differentiation, which depended on variations in the shape of branches and peduncles (S t a p f in T h i s e 1 t o n-D y e r , 1904). The differences between the species are slight enough to include local growth variations. B o u t i q u e and M o n s e u r (1955) observed a close similarity between R. mannii and R. rosea growing in the Congo, although this synonymy has not been clearly established (B i s s e t , 1958) and is questioned by H i i r 1 im a n n (1957). P i c h o n (1947), in his classification of the genus Rauwolfia, grouped the species together in the section Afrovdfia. K o r z u n , St. A n d r t and U l s h a f e r (1957) examined a sample of R. rosea roots using paper chromatography and observed spots probably indicative of reserpine, 8-yohimbine and reserpiline; the reserpine content was estimated to be about 0.04 per cent. Habitat and indigenous Usage R. rosea is a shrub growing to a height of about 2 m and occurring in Tanganyika (East and West Usambaras, Mufindi District,

The occurrence, indigenous usage and anatomy of Ratcwolfia rosea K. S c h u m. were described earlier (K h a l i l , C o u r t and S t e w a r t , 1967). Little information is available concerning the alkaloids presumed present. K O r z u n , S t. A n d r C and U 1 s h a f e r (1 957) observed 1 I spots on paper chromatograms of the weakly basic fraction of the alkaloids of R. rosea roots and estimated 0.04 per cent reserpine. B i s s e t (1958) inferred that these spots included reserpine, b-yohimbine and reserpiline, but this was not proved. An investigation of the alkaloid content of R. rosea has therefore been undertaken. Experimental a) R. roseu roots and stems collected in East Africa, verified by the East African Herbarium, Nairobi, Kenya, and supplied by the Tropical Products Institute, London in 1962. b) Further supply of roots and stems collected in Lushoto, Tanzania, verified by the East African Herbarium and supplied by the Tropical Products Institute in 1964.